Legal Definitions - immediate intent

Immediate intent refers to the state of mind accompanying a wrongful act, especially one that is forbidden by law. It is the mental resolution or determination to commit the act, regardless of the motive behind it. Immediate intent can be the sole or exclusive intent, one of several concurrent intents, the chief or dominant intent, or a determining intent.

For example, if someone intends to rob a bank, their immediate intent is to commit the act of robbery. The motive behind the act, such as financial gain or desperation, is immaterial when it comes to determining immediate intent.

Another example is larcenous intent, which is the state of mind of someone who knowingly takes away the goods of another without any claim or pretense of a right to do so, and intends to permanently deprive the owner of them or to convert the goods to personal use.

Understanding immediate intent is important in criminal law, as it helps to establish the mental state of the perpetrator and their culpability for the act committed.