Free US Law Dictionary

Premeditation

Premeditation, frequently referred to in the vernacular with the term "in cold blood", is contemplation of acting out an intended crime, thinking about, planning, or plotting a crime beforehand[1] and not in a moment of duress[2] or imminent danger.[3] The amount of time necessary between planning and the act to prove premeditation...cannot be arbitrarily fixed.[4] Premeditation in the context of murder describes actions which were planned prior to their being executed. The establishment of premeditation in homicide generally carries with it the inability to argue innocence by cause of insanity.[citation needed]