Opinion ID: 1208410
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Definition of crimes involving moral turpitude

Text: Whether a crime involves moral turpitude is determined by the statutory definition or by the nature of the crime and not by the specific conduct that resulted in the conviction. Id. at 1070 (citation and quotation marks omitted). The categorical approach requires that we compare the elements of the statute of conviction to the generic definition [of moral turpitude], and decide whether the conduct proscribed ... is broader than, and so does not categorically fall within, this generic definition. Fernandez-Ruiz v. Gonzales, 468 F.3d 1159, 1163 (9th Cir.2006) (citation and quotation marks omitted). We have observed that there are no statutorily established elements for a crime involving moral turpitude. Navarro-Lopez, 503 F.3d at 1068. Its meaning left to the BIA and courts to develop through case-by-case adjudication. See Nicanor-Romero v. Mukasey, 523 F.3d 992, 997 (9th Cir.2008), overruled on other grounds by Marmolejo-Campos, 558 F.3d 903. We have defined `moral turpitude' as involving conduct that is inherently base, vile, or depraved, and contrary to the private and social duties man owes to his fellow men or to society in general. Navarro-Lopez, 503 F.3d at 1068; [2] see also In re Sejas, 24 I. & N. Dec. 236, 237 (BIA 2007) (applying a similar definition). The BIA has added that [t]he essence of moral turpitude is an evil or malicious intent[,] and, therefore, [t]he test to determine if a crime involves moral turpitude is whether the act is accompanied by a vicious motive or a corrupt mind. In re Tran, 21 I. & N. Dec. 291, 293 (BIA 1996). Under the categorical approach, the question is not whether some of the conduct prohibited by [the statute] is morally turpitudinous, but rather whether all of the conduct prohibited by [the statute] is morally turpitudinous. Nicanor-Romero, 523 F.3d at 999. With this definition in mind, we now turn to an examination of the statute in question.