Criminal Law
Manslaughter
Definition
Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of another human being without malice aforethought. It is divided into voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Voluntary manslaughter occurs when the defendant kills in the heat of passion upon adequate provocation, which would cause a reasonable person to lose self-control. Involuntary manslaughter involves an unintentional killing caused by criminal negligence or during the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony.
Example
A husband discovers his spouse in an act of infidelity and kills the paramour in the heat of passion. This is voluntary manslaughter — the provocation reduces murder to manslaughter.