Attempt - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition attempt

Definition :

Attempt [fr. tentare, Lat.; tenter, temter, tempter, O. Fr. to try], an endeavour to commit a crime or unlawful act. Persons indicted for a felony or misdemeanour may be found guilty only of an attempt to commit the same. (English) Criminal Procedure Act, 1851, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 100, s. 9

In criminal law means an overt act that is done with the intent to commit a crime but that falls short of completing the crime. Attempt is an inchoate offence distinct from the attempted crime, Black Law Dictionary 7th Edn., p. 123.

What constitutes an 'attempt' is a mixed question of law and fact, depending largely on the circumstances of the particular case. 'Attempt' defies a precise and exact definition. Broadly speaking, all crimes which consist of the commission of affirmative acts are preceded by some covert or overt conduct which may be divided into three stages. The first stage exists when the culprit first entertains the idea or intention to commit an offence. In the second stage, he makes preparations to commit it. The third stage is reached when the culprit takes deliberate

overt steps to commit the offence. Such overt act or step in order to be 'criminal' need not be the penultimate act towards the commission of the offence. It is sufficient if such act or acts were deliberately done, and manifest a clear intention to commit the offence aimed, being reasonably proximate to the consummation of the offence, State of Maharashtra v. Mohd. Yakub, (1980) 3 SCC 57 (62): AIR 1980 SC 1111. [Customs Act, 1962, s. 135 (1)(a)]