Legal Definitions - involuntary act

An involuntary act is an action that is not consciously controlled by the mind or over which a person has no control. Examples of involuntary acts include reflexes or convulsions. In criminal law, involuntary actions may absolve the actor of liability.

For instance, if someone has a seizure and accidentally hits someone, they cannot be held responsible for their actions because they had no control over their body at that time.

In some jurisdictions, actions that are coerced are considered voluntary. However, defenses such as duress may still be available. In other jurisdictions, coercion will negate the voluntariness of the act, and the act will be considered involuntary.

For example, if someone is forced to commit a crime at gunpoint, they may not be held responsible for their actions because they were coerced into doing it.