Mitigating Circumstance (Noun)
Meaning
(law) a circumstance that does not exonerate a person but which reduces the penalty associated with the offense.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The judge took into account the defendant's troubled childhood as a mitigating circumstance when determining the sentence.
- The fact that the defendant was under duress at the time of the crime was considered a mitigating circumstance by the jury.
- The court considered the defendant's lack of prior convictions as a mitigating circumstance and reduced the sentence accordingly.
- The defense argued that the defendant's mental health issues were a mitigating circumstance that should be taken into account during sentencing.
- The judge ruled that the defendant's cooperation with the authorities was a mitigating circumstance that warranted a reduced sentence.