Lesser-Included Offense Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Lesser-Included Offense.

(n.) Lesser-Included Offense

A lesser-included offense is a crime that is not as severe, but is part of a more serious crime. This is used when someone admits to a less serious crime while being accused of a more serious one. For example, if someone is accused of driving recklessly while intoxicated, they may admit to only driving carelessly, because they argue they were not too drunk to drive.