Legal Definitions - extraneous offense

An extraneous offense is a violation of the law, often a minor one, that is unrelated to the main crime being investigated. It is an offense that is not directly related to the charges being brought against the defendant, but may be introduced as evidence to show a pattern of behavior or intent.

For example, if someone is being charged with robbery, evidence of a previous theft may be introduced as an extraneous offense to show a pattern of criminal behavior.

Another example of an extraneous offense is when someone is being charged with drug possession, but evidence of a previous DUI conviction is introduced to show a pattern of reckless behavior.

Extraneous offenses can be used to establish motive, intent, or a pattern of behavior that supports the charges being brought against the defendant.