premeditation

Premeditation refers to the act of planning or considering a criminal act before carrying it out. In criminal law, the term is most commonly associated with premeditated murder, where the defendant formed the intent to kill prior to committing the act.

Premeditation does not necessarily require long-term planning. Courts often recognize that the required intent may form in a short period of time, so long as the defendant had time to reflect on the decision to commit the act before carrying it out.

[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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