primary versus secondary liability

Primary liability refers to being directly responsible for committing a wrongful act or crime, such as physically causing harm or violating a law. Secondary liability involves being held accountable for assisting, encouraging, or facilitating someone else's wrongful act, even if not personally committing it. For example, a person who supplies tools for a crime or encourages another to commit an offense can be secondarily liable. Both concepts hold individuals accountable, but primary liability is for the main act, while secondary liability pertains to supporting or enabling that act.