Messinger v. Washington

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• explaining that the proffered expert testimony must address vulnerability “produced by” the duressor to be relevant
• explaining that the proffered expert testimony must address vulnerabilities that are “produced by” the duressor
• “The defense of duress is a common law concept that federal criminal law has incorporated.”
• “The majority of state courts that have considered the issue [of BWS] have admitted expert testimony as to the syndrome on behalf of a woman contending that she acted in self-defense.”
• “The defense [of duress] assumes that the defendant has voluntarily performed the criminal act; his or her will has not been so overcome that another choice was impossible; the act done was intentional.”
• “Fear which would be irrational in one set of circumstances may be well-grounded if the experience of the defendant with those applying the threat is such that the defendant can reasonably anticipate being harmed on failure to comply.” (emphasis added)

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).