Term ID: T2557

Insanity Defense

/insanity-defense/
A legal concept where defendants argue they should not be held criminally responsible for their actions due to mental illness that impaired their understanding or control at the time of the offense.
Example: Court cases where defendants with severe mental illness argue they lacked the capacity to understand their actions were wrong or couldn't control their behavior during criminal acts.

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Reference: M'Naghten (1843)