{"data":{"id":"us-de/11-del.-c.-231","jurisdiction":"us-de","citation":"11 Del. C. § 231","heading":"Definitions relating to state of mind.","body":"(a) “Criminal negligence”. — A person acts with criminal negligence with respect to an element of an offense when the person fails to perceive a risk that the element exists or will result from the conduct. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.\n(b) “Intentionally”. — A person acts intentionally with respect to an element of an offense when:\n(1) If the element involves the nature of the person’s conduct or a result thereof, it is the person’s conscious object to engage in conduct of that nature or to cause that result; and\n(2) If the element involves the attendant circumstances, the person is aware of the existence of such circumstances or believes or hopes that they exist.\n(c) “Knowingly”. — A person acts knowingly with respect to an element of an offense when:\n(1) If the element involves the nature of the person’s conduct or the attendant circumstances, the person is aware that the conduct is of that nature or that such circumstances exist; and\n(2) If the element involves a result of the person’s conduct, the person is aware that it is practically certain that the conduct will cause that result.\n(d) “Negligence”. — A person acts with negligence with respect to an element of an offense when the person fails to exercise the standard of care which a reasonable person would observe in the situation.\n(e) “Recklessly”. — A person acts recklessly with respect to an element of an offense when the person is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the element exists or will result from the conduct. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation. A person who creates such a risk but is unaware thereof solely by reason of voluntary intoxication also acts recklessly with respect thereto.","path":["Title 11. Crimes and Criminal Procedure","Delaware Criminal Code","CHAPTER 2. General Provisions Concerning Offenses"],"source_url":"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c002/index.html#231","current_through":"2026-08-10 (85 Del. Laws, c. 421, 424)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T23:02:13Z","sha256":"2df2809738096096d3f03151ffd687d58e9cece89d7f4b745105d294f008cf4e","source_id":"us-de","stale":true,"prev":"us-de/11-del.-c.-225-230","next":"us-de/11-del.-c.-232"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}