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Accessory/Association Doctrine Attempted Violations Doctrine Defensible Conditions and Citizen Protection Doctrine Exigent Circumstances Doctrine Fleeing Suspect Doctrine Information Security Act Judicial and Law Enforcement Authority Probable Cause and Reasonable Suspicion Doctrine Release on Recognizance (ROR) Doctrine Concealed Carry of a Firearm Act Law Enforcement Halo Doctrine Contraband & Forfeiture Act Terrorist Engagement Doctrine Plain View Doctrine Hobbs Act
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Accessory/Association Doctrine

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Updated Jul 23, 2026
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The Accessory/Association doctrine establishes that when a group participates in a felony, all members can be held equally responsible for the crimes committed during that event.

For this doctrine to apply, at least one felony offense must have occurred. It does not apply to simple misdemeanors or infractions. Once a felony is part of the criminal activity, the law allows prosecutors to charge every associate in the group with the same offenses as the primary perpetrator, even if their specific roles varied significantly. This includes all other associated felonies, misdemeanors, or infractions tied to the incident. To use this doctrine, law enforcement must provide evidence of the individual's involvement in the enterprise.

To differentiate between levels of crime, the charge of "[1] 14 - Aiding and Abetting / Accessory to Crime" is reserved exclusively for misdemeanor offenses. For felony cases, the Accessory/Association doctrine acts as the primary legal framework for ensuring all participants face the same charges as the most severe offender.

For example, a getaway driver in an armed robbery can be charged with the robbery itself, matching the charges of those who physically performed the act, because the crime is a felony. Similarly, if someone illegally sells a firearm—a felony—and that weapon is later used in a murder, the seller can be charged with the murder because the illegal sale was a necessary component of the crime's commission.