context: The prosecution, noting in its brief that the instruction was "perhaps ill-advised" and may have been "overstated," virtually concedes that the district court's instruction was erroneous. The prosecution does not dispute that although ignorance of the law is generally not a defense, there are important exceptions.
citation_a.signal: cf.
citation_a.identifier: 810 F.2d 1215, 1222-23
citation_a.parenthetical: ignorance of the law may be an excuse where legislation criminalizes "wholly passive" conduct by a person who is "unaware of any wrongdoing"
citation_a.sentence: See, e.g., Liparota v. United States, 471 U.S. 419, 105 S.Ct. 2084, 85 L.Ed.2d 434 (1985) (conviction under statute prohibiting food stamp fraud requires proof that the accused knew his use was unauthorized); Lambert v. California, 355 U.S. 225, 78 S.Ct. 240, 2 L.Ed.2d 228 (1957) (conviction for failing to register as a felon requires proof of knowledge of obligation to register); cf. United States v. Holland, 810 F.2d 1215, 1222-23 (D.C.Cir.) (ignorance of the law may be an excuse where legislation criminalizes “wholly passive” conduct by a person who is “unaware of any wrongdoing”), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1057, 107 S.Ct. 2199, 95 L.Ed.2d 854 (1987).
citation_b.signal: see
citation_b.parenthetical: conviction under statute prohibiting food stamp fraud requires proof that the accused knew his use was unauthorized
citation_b.sentence: See, e.g., Liparota v. United States, 471 U.S. 419, 105 S.Ct. 2084, 85 L.Ed.2d 434 (1985) (conviction under statute prohibiting food stamp fraud requires proof that the accused knew his use was unauthorized); Lambert v. California, 355 U.S. 225, 78 S.Ct. 240, 2 L.Ed.2d 228 (1957) (conviction for failing to register as a felon requires proof of knowledge of obligation to register); cf. United States v. Holland, 810 F.2d 1215, 1222-23 (D.C.Cir.) (ignorance of the law may be an excuse where legislation criminalizes “wholly passive” conduct by a person who is “unaware of any wrongdoing”), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1057, 107 S.Ct. 2199, 95 L.Ed.2d 854 (1987).