What is the legal term for the guilty act in a crime?

• A. Actus Reus
• B. Mens Rea
• C. Trial Court
• D. Expungement

Answer: (A)

Actus reus is the legal term for the guilty act in a crime. It refers to the actual conduct or omission that violates the law—the physical component of criminal liability. In most offenses, liability arises from a voluntary act or a failure to act when there is a legal duty, and that act must cause the prohibited result. While actus reus shows what was done (or not done), mens rea covers the mental state at the time—intent, knowledge, recklessness, or negligence—which is often required as well. Some offenses are strict liability and don’t require showing a mens rea, but the act itself remains the actus reus. The other terms don’t fit because a trial court is the court hearing the case, and expungement is the process of clearing a criminal record. So the correct term for the guilty act is actus reus.