Which factor limits a late joiner's criminal liability?

Which factor limits a late joiner's criminal liability?

• A. They are never liable
• B. They are only liable for the conspiracy they joined plus foreseeable acts
• C. They are liable for all acts of the conspiracy
• D. They are liable only for overt acts they personally commit

Answer: (B)

Late joiners in conspiracy liability are not responsible for everything the group does, but they are accountable for the part of the plan they joined and for what others do in furtherance of that plan that could have been foreseen when they joined. This means their liability is limited to the conspiracy they became part of and to acts by co-conspirators that were reasonably predictable as part of that conspiracy's scope. This is why the correct choice is that a late joiner is liable for the conspiracy they joined plus foreseeable acts. They are not automatically liable for acts before they joined, nor for every act of the conspiracy, nor only for acts they personally commit. The other options describe scenarios that either overextend or overly limit their exposure to liability.

Late joiners in conspiracy liability are not responsible for everything the group does, but they are accountable for the part of the plan they joined and for what others do in furtherance of that plan that could have been foreseen when they joined. This means their liability is limited to the conspiracy they became part of and to acts by co-conspirators that were reasonably predictable as part of that conspiracy's scope.

This is why the correct choice is that a late joiner is liable for the conspiracy they joined plus foreseeable acts. They are not automatically liable for acts before they joined, nor for every act of the conspiracy, nor only for acts they personally commit. The other options describe scenarios that either overextend or overly limit their exposure to liability.