New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 15.10 — Requirements for criminal liability in general and for offenses of strict liability and mental culpability
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 15: Culpability, New York Penal Law.
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 15.10
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
15.10 Requirements for criminal liability in general and for offenses
of strict liability and mental culpability.
The minimal requirement for criminal liability is the performance by a
person of conduct which includes a voluntary act or the omission to
perform an act which he is physically capable of performing. If such
conduct is all that is required for commission of a particular offense,
or if an offense or some material element thereof does not require a
culpable mental state on the part of the actor, such offense is one of
"strict liability." If a culpable mental state on the part of the actor
is required with respect to every material element of an offense, such
offense is one of "mental culpability."
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