Transferred Intent Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Transferred Intent.

Transferred Intent (noun)

Transferred intent is a legal concept that is commonly used in both criminal and tort law. This principle applies when the intention to cause harm to one person accidentally results in harm to another person instead. In such situations, the law 'transfers' the original harmful intent towards the actual person harmed. It means that the person responsible for the harm is still held legally accountable, even though the resulting harm reached a different person than originally intended.