{"data":{"id":"us-nh/rsa-626-3","jurisdiction":"us-nh","citation":"RSA 626:3","heading":"Effect of Ignorance or Mistake.","body":"I. A person is not relieved of criminal liability because he acts under a mistaken belief of fact unless:\n(a) The mistake negatives the culpable mental state required for commission of the offense; or\n(b) The statute defining the offense expressly provides that such mistake is a defense; or\n(c) Such mistake supports a defense of justification as defined in RSA 627.\nII. A person is not relieved of criminal liability because he acts under a mistaken belief that his conduct does not, as a matter of law, constitute an offense unless his belief is founded upon a statement of the law contained in a statute or other enactment, or an administrative order or grant of permission, or a judicial decision of a state or federal court, or a written interpretation of the law relating to the offense officially made by a public servant, agency or body legally empowered with authority to administer, enforce or interpret such law. The defendant must prove a defense arising under this subsection by a preponderance of evidence.","path":["Title LXII: CRIMINAL CODE","Chapter 626: GENERAL PRINCIPLES"],"source_url":"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/626/626-3.htm","current_through":"2025 regular legislative session, or December 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T17:27:12Z","sha256":"a6d24aea45c127ad6520e5c0ff5798781715a0c8700cf52035788e52627a4898","source_id":"us-nh","stale":false,"prev":"us-nh/rsa-626-2","next":"us-nh/rsa-626-4"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}