Paralegal Certification PrepLitigationEasy
A paralegal is assisting a defense attorney in a criminal case where the defendant is accused of robbery. The prosecution has presented evidence linking the defendant to the crime scene. The defense attorney plans to call a witness who will testify that the defendant was with them at a completely different location at the time the robbery occurred. What type of defense is the attorney presenting?
- AInsanity defense
- BSelf-defense
- CDuress defense
- DAlibi defense
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Alibi defense
An alibi defense is a claim or evidence that the defendant was elsewhere when the crime was committed, and thus could not have committed the crime. The witness testifying that the defendant was at a different location directly supports this defense.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. An insanity defense claims the defendant lacked the mental capacity to understand the nature of their actions or that they were wrong.
- B. Self-defense admits the act but claims it was justified to protect oneself.
- C. A duress defense claims the defendant committed the crime under threat of immediate bodily harm or death.
Alibi Defense
A defense used in criminal cases where the defendant asserts that they were in a different place at the time the crime was committed, making it impossible for them to have committed the offense.
- Literally means 'elsewhere'.
- Requires evidence to show defendant was not at crime scene.
- Can be supported by witness testimony, receipts, surveillance footage.
- Aims to create reasonable doubt about defendant's involvement.
Memory trick: Defenses: excuses, justifications, or 'I wasn't there!'