E1 DeSario, age 15, of Casper, Wyo., for his question:

WHAT EXACTLY IS A CONSPIRACY?

 Conspiracy is a word that is used in law. It is an agreement between persons to do something illegal or criminal. In this offense, the  mere agreement of the conspirators is punishable by legal authority, even though they may not have taken any action to complete the crime.

In most cases of conspiracy, however, such acts are performed.  The doctrine of the common law has been changed by federal legislation and by statute in many states of the United States. Under such legislation the commission of an overt act to accomplish the purpose of the conspiracy is essential to consummate the crime. As soon as the act is done, the offense of conspiracy is punishable and is in no way affected by the nature or results of the act, even if the act could not possibly accomplish the conspirators' intention.

Some of the more important common law conspiracies were those to commit treason or sedition, to murder, to cheat and defraud and to injure another maliciously.

Even when no crime is involved, a civil action for conspiracy may be brought by the persons who were damaged. A civil conspiracy or collusion is an agreement between two or more persons to defraud another of rights or to obtain an illegal objective.