{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "15.10", "citation": "Penal Law § 15.10", "heading": "Requirements for criminal liability in general and for offenses of strict liability and mental culpability", "text": ["§ 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.\""], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/15.10", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "The minimum for any criminal liability is conduct that includes a **voluntary act**, or a failure to do an act the person was **physically able** to do. An offense that needs nothing more, or that needs no mental state for some material element, is a **strict liability** offense. ★ One that requires a mental state for **every** material element is an offense of **mental culpability**.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/15.10", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}