Definition
Factors that don't excuse illegal conduct but make it more understandable or less blameworthy, potentially reducing punishment. It's the difference between "I robbed the bank for fun" and "I robbed the bank to pay for my child's cancer treatment."
Example Usage
The defense attorney presented mitigating circumstances, including the defendant's difficult childhood and mental health struggles, hoping for a lighter sentence.
Origin
From Latin 'mitigare,' meaning 'to soften,' used in legal contexts since medieval times
Fun Fact
In capital cases, juries must consider all mitigating circumstances before imposing the death penalty, which is why these trials often feel like extended therapy sessions.
Related Terms
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See “mitigating circumstances” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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