2.02 General Requirements of Culpability.

(1) Minimum Requirements of Culpability. Except as provided in Section 2.!" a person is not
#uilty of an offense unless $e acted purposely" %no&in#ly" rec%lessly or ne#li#ently" as t$e la&
may require" &it$ respect to eac$ material element of t$e offense.
(2) 'inds of Culpability (efined.
(a) )urposely.
* person acts purposely &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en+
(i) if t$e element involves t$e nature of $is conduct or a result t$ereof" it is $is conscious ob,ect
to en#a#e in conduct of t$at nature or to cause suc$ a result- and
(ii) if t$e element involves t$e attendant circumstances" $e is a&are of t$e existence of suc$
circumstances or $e believes or $opes t$at t$ey exist.
(b) 'no&in#ly.
* person acts %no&in#ly &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en+
(i) if t$e element involves t$e nature of $is conduct or t$e attendant circumstances" $e is a&are
t$at $is conduct is of t$at nature or t$at suc$ circumstances exist- and
(ii) if t$e element involves a result of $is conduct" $e is a&are t$at it is practically certain t$at $is
conduct &ill cause suc$ a result.
(c) Rec%lessly.
* person acts rec%lessly &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en $e consciously
disre#ards a substantial and un,ustifiable ris% t$at t$e material element exists or &ill result from
$is conduct. .$e ris% must be of suc$ a nature and de#ree t$at" considerin# t$e nature and
purpose of t$e actor/s conduct and t$e circumstances %no&n to $im" its disre#ard involves a #ross
deviation from t$e standard of conduct t$at a la&0abidin# person &ould observe in t$e actor/s
situation.
(d) 1e#li#ently.
* person acts ne#li#ently &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en $e s$ould be
a&are of a substantial and un,ustifiable ris% t$at t$e material element exists or &ill result from
$is conduct. .$e ris% must be of suc$ a nature and de#ree t$at t$e actor/s failure to perceive it"
considerin# t$e nature and purpose of $is conduct and t$e circumstances %no&n to $im" involves
a #ross deviation from t$e standard of care t$at a reasonable person &ould observe in t$e actor/s
situation.
(2) Culpability Required 3nless 4t$er&ise )rovided. 5$en t$e culpability sufficient to establis$
a material element of an offense is not prescribed by la&" suc$ element is establis$ed if a person
acts purposely" %no&in#ly or rec%lessly &it$ respect t$ereto.
(6) )rescribed Culpability Requirement *pplies to *ll Material Elements. 5$en t$e la& definin#
an offense prescribes t$e %ind of culpability t$at is sufficient for t$e commission of an offense"
&it$out distin#uis$in# amon# t$e material elements t$ereof" suc$ provision s$all apply to all t$e
material elements of t$e offense" unless a contrary purpose plainly appears.
(!) Substitutes for 1e#li#ence" Rec%lessness and 'no&led#e. 5$en t$e la& provides t$at
ne#li#ence suffices to establis$ an element of an offense" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a
person acts purposely" %no&in#ly or rec%lessly. 5$en rec%lessness suffices to establis$ an
element" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a person acts purposely or %no&in#ly. 5$en actin#
%no&in#ly suffices to establis$ an element" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a person acts
purposely.
(7) Requirement of )urpose Satisfied if )urpose 8s Conditional. 5$en a particular purpose is an
element of an offense" t$e element is establis$ed alt$ou#$ suc$ purpose is conditional" unless t$e
condition ne#atives t$e $arm or evil sou#$t to be prevented by t$e la& definin# t$e offense.
(9) Requirement of 'no&led#e Satisfied by 'no&led#e of :i#$ )robability. 5$en %no&led#e
of t$e existence of a particular fact is an element of an offense" suc$ %no&led#e is establis$ed if
a person is a&are of a $i#$ probability of its existence" unless $e actually believes t$at it does not
exist.
(;) Requirement of 5ilfulness Satisfied by *ctin# 'no&in#ly. * requirement t$at an offense be
committed &ilfully is satisfied if a person acts %no&in#ly &it$ respect to t$e material elements
of t$e offense" unless a purpose to impose furt$er requirements appears.
(<) Culpability as to 8lle#ality of Conduct. 1eit$er %no&led#e nor rec%lessness or ne#li#ence as
to &$et$er conduct constitutes an offense or as to t$e existence" meanin# or application of t$e
la& determinin# t$e elements of an offense is an element of suc$ offense" unless t$e definition of
t$e offense or t$e Code so provides.
(1) Culpability as (eterminant of =rade of 4ffense. 5$en t$e #rade or de#ree of an offense
depends on &$et$er t$e offense is committed purposely" %no&in#ly" rec%lessly or ne#li#ently" its
#rade or de#ree s$all be t$e lo&est for &$ic$ t$e determinative %ind of culpability is establis$ed
&it$ respect to any material element of t$e offense.