Also known as: legal accountability · legally accountability · accountable · accountability
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Liability imposed on a person for the criminal conduct of another when the person causes an innocent or irresponsible person to engage in the conduct, is made accountable by statute or the law defining the offense, or acts as an accomplice of the other person.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Luis Lopez instructs an associate to enter a warehouse and remove electronics while Lopez waits outside as lookout. The associate completes the theft. Luis is guilty of the offense because he is legally accountable for the associate's conduct as an accomplice.
A corporate officer orders an employee who lacks knowledge of the scheme to sign false documents that complete a fraud. The employee completes the acts. The officer is guilty because he is legally accountable for causing the innocent employee to engage in the conduct.
Leo Lynch deceives an employee who lacks knowledge of the scheme into signing false documents that complete a fraud. Leo is guilty of the fraud offense because he is legally accountable for causing the innocent employee to engage in the conduct.
A manager directs a subordinate who is unaware of the scheme to file false reports that complete a fraud. The subordinate completes the acts. The manager is guilty because he is legally accountable for the subordinate's conduct as an accomplice.
A statute expressly makes a corporate officer accountable for the conduct of employees acting under his direction. The employees commit the offense. The officer is guilty because the statute renders him legally accountable.
A supervisor orders a subordinate who lacks knowledge of the plan to remove property from a warehouse. The subordinate completes the taking. The supervisor is guilty because he is legally accountable for the subordinate's conduct as an accomplice.
A person is legally accountable when acting with sufficient culpability the person causes an innocent or irresponsible person to engage in the conduct, when a statute makes the person accountable for the other's conduct, or when the person is an accomplice of the other person in the offense.
Supporting sources
…that two governments accord more liberty than one requires for its realization two distinct and discernable lines of political accountability: one between the citizens and the Federal Government; the second between the citizens and the States. If, as Madison expected, the Federal and State Governments are to control each other,…