Every man is presumed to intend the natural and probable consequences of his own voluntary act.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) Invoke this presumption to establish intent from conduct — a party who performs a voluntary act cannot later disclaim the foreseeable results by professing ignorance of their consequences.

Where this applies

• A man throws a lit match into a pile of dry leaves next to a wooden barn — he is presumed to have intended the fire that results, even if he says he 'didn't think it would spread.'
• A landlord shuts off the heat in a tenant's apartment in January and claims he didn't intend to force the tenant out — the natural consequence of his act says otherwise.
• A driver going 90 mph through a school zone cannot claim he didn't intend to endanger children; the law presumes he intended the foreseeable consequences of his speed.