Insanity Defence Overview
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Questions and Answers

What does the M'Naghten Rule evaluate in determining insanity?

  • The defendant's understanding of right and wrong. (correct)
  • The historical context of the legal case.
  • The defendant's ability to control their actions.
  • The public's perception of the defendant's actions.

Which type of insanity focuses on a defendant's ability to control their actions?

  • Volitional Insanity (correct)
  • Temporary Insanity
  • Psychotic Insanity
  • Cognitive Insanity

What is a common misconception about the insanity defense in public perception?

  • All defendants claiming insanity are excused from responsibility. (correct)
  • Insanity defense is only applicable in violent crimes.
  • Mental illnesses exempt individuals from any legal consequences.
  • Insanity can only be temporary and not permanent.

In the context of legal insanity, how is temporary insanity characterized?

<p>A sudden and brief loss of mental capacity during the crime. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant outcome from the case of M'Naghten?

<p>It created the Right or Wrong Test for insanity cases. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the Irresistible Impulse Test?

<p>It assesses if a defendant had an undeniable urge to commit an act. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the legal system typically evaluate claims of insanity in serious criminal cases?

<p>By assembling a jury for determination. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is required beyond a medical diagnosis to prove legal insanity?

<p>Demonstration of the defendant's mental state at the time of the crime. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two basic criteria for intoxication to potentially serve as a defense under Article 34?

<p>The intoxication must be accidental and complete. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to M'Naghten rules, what is required to establish that a defendant is considered insane?

<p>Insanity must stem from a disease of the mind. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact does a finding of insanity have on a defendant's legal responsibility?

<p>The defendant is acquitted but committed to a mental health facility. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception regarding expert testimony in insanity cases?

<p>The jury must always accept expert testimony. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect did the R Versus M'Naghten case have on legal standards for the insanity defense?

<p>It tightened the legal standards for claiming insanity. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is proving intoxication generally established in court?

<p>With evidence showing the impairment of functional ability. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant public reaction to M'Naghten's acquittal on the grounds of insanity?

<p>Concern that the insanity defense could be abused. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes temporary insanity from permanent insanity in legal terms?

<p>Temporary insanity indicates a complete return to sanity post-event. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the distinction between temporary and permanent insanity?

<p>Permanent insanity means a constant mental state, while temporary indicates a fleeting loss of sanity. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What historical case established the M'Naghten Rule?

<p>A case of a man who killed someone while believing he was acting in self-defense. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a key contributor to the legal confusion surrounding insanity in pre-1840s UK?

<p>Inconsistency in applying the insanity defense across different courts. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of insanity defenses, what is often a public misconception?

<p>Insanity defenses are frequently successful in trials. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the public's primary concern regarding the insanity defense after the M'Naghten trial?

<p>Criminals escaping punishment due to mental illness claims. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way did the M'Naghten case influence future insanity defenses?

<p>It prompted reforms that made insanity claims harder to prove. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who was Daniel M'Naghten attempting to assassinate during the incident that led to his trial?

<p>Robert Peel (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did medical experts play in the M'Naghten trial?

<p>Their testimonies were often based on limited psychological understanding. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Cognitive Insanity

A defendant's ability to differentiate right from wrong at the time of a crime, often evaluated using the M'Naghten Rule.

M'Naghten Rule

A test used to determine if someone was unable to differentiate right from wrong at the time of a crime due to mental illness.

Volitional Insanity

A defendant's ability to control their actions; evaluated using the Irresistible Impulse Test to determine if a mental disorder caused an irresistible urge to act.

Irresistible Impulse Test

A test used to assess if a defendant, due to a mental illness, lacked the ability to control their actions, even if they knew it was wrong.

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Legal Insanity

A legal term, not solely a medical diagnosis, defining a state where a defendant, due to a mental disorder, is unable to understand right from wrong or control their actions at the time of a crime.

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Criminal Responsibility

The degree of accountability for a criminal act. Insanity determines if the defendant is considered responsible for their actions or not.

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Right-Wrong Test

Same as 'M'Naghten Rule'

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Insanity Defense

A legal defense claiming the defendant was unable to understand their actions were wrong or unable to control their actions due to a mental disorder.

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Expert Testimony

Testimony from a qualified expert (e.g., doctor) about a defendant's mental state; often used in insanity pleas.

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Intoxication Defense

A defense claiming the defendant's actions were the result of intoxication, rendering them temporarily incapable of understanding their actions or being responsible for them.

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Accidental Intoxication

Intoxication caused by the malicious or negligent act of a third party, without the defendant's knowledge.

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Complete Capacity Loss

A requirement to use the intoxication defense - the defendant must have lost the capacity to understand or control their actions due to the intoxication.

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Proving Intoxication

Demonstrating the level of influence of alcohol or drugs on the defendant and how much it impacted their mental ability.

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Judicial Interpretation

The court's understanding or application of the law (in regards to a topic, e.g. intoxication). It can differ from the actual legal standard.

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M'Naghten Rule (UK)

A legal test for insanity, established after the M'Naghten case, which requires proof that the defendant didn't know what they were doing or didn't know that their actions were wrong.

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Criminal Responsibility (Insanity)

The legal concept that a person isn't legally responsible for a crime if they weren't of sound mind during the crime.

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R v M'Naghten

A landmark legal case about the insanity defense where the court tried to develop a legal test for determining whether an accused was insane when committing a crime.

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State of Insanity

A mental condition making someone incapable of understanding their actions or knowing that those actions were unlawful when committing a crime.

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Maltese Law - Insanity

Maltese law doesn't provide a specific definition for insanity; it relies on foreign standards for evaluating this mental condition.

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Early Insanity Defence (UK)

The insanity defence in the UK before the M'Naghten rule, lacked clear standards and was applied unevenly by courts.

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Public Backlash

Negative reactions from the public after the outcome of the M'Naghten case.

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Study Notes

Insanity Defence

  • Every person is exempt from criminal responsibility if insane at the time of the act.
  • Maltese law doesn't define insanity, relying on foreign sources.
  • Pre-1840s UK insanity defence was inconsistently applied, lacking a clear legal standard.
  • The M'Naghten Rules (1843) established stricter criteria for insanity pleas.

M'Naghten Rules

  • Presumption of sanity.
  • Insanity defence requires clear evidence of a defect of reason from a disease of the mind at the time of the act, where the person did not understand the nature and quality of their actions or that what they did was wrong.
  • The test is not abstract right and wrong, but whether the accused understood the act in question to be wrong given the circumstances.
  • Insane delusions of surrounding facts do not absolve responsibility.

Temporary Insanity

  • Temporary insanity, resulting from emotional states or circumstances, is not recognized under the M'Naghten Rules.

Two Forms of Insanity

  • Cognitive Insanity: Focuses on the defendant's ability to distinguish right from wrong at the time.
  • Volitional Insanity: Concerns the defendant's ability to control their actions, assessed through the Irresistible Impulse Test.

Proving Insanity

  • Establishing legal insanity requires more than a medical diagnosis.
  • Expert testimony doesn't ensure acceptance by the court/jury.
  • If deemed insane, the defendant is acquitted but usually committed to a mental health facility.

Intoxication

  • Self-intoxication is not a valid defence.
  • Intoxication is a defence only if:
    • Caused by the malicious or negligent act of a third party,
    • Without the defendant's knowledge,
    • Directly impairs the defendant's capacity to understand or act.
  • Proving intoxication requires evidence showing the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Specific/General Intent

  • General intent applies to crimes where the prosecution only needs to show intention to perform the act.
  • Specific intent crimes require the prosecution to prove the defendant had a particular purpose or goal.
  • Intoxication can be a factor when considering specific intent crimes.

Children and Criminal Responsibility

  • Under 14: automatically exempt from criminal responsibility (doli incapax).
  • 14-16: exempt from criminal responsibility unless they acted with "mischievous discretion" (iuris tantum).
  • This means the presumption is rebuttable.
  • Critically, the standard of intent differs for children when compared to adults. Doli incapax describes a fundamental difference in the intent requirements when considering criminal responsibility.

Self-Defence

  • Self-defence requires a genuine threat and proportional reaction justified by necessity.
  • Use of force must be proportionate to the perceived threat of harm.
  • Cases involving self-defence have specific thresholds and criteria.

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Related Documents

Principles of Criminal Law Notes (SF) PDF

Description

Explore the concept of insanity as a defence in criminal law, focusing on its historical context, particularly the M'Naghten Rules established in 1843. Delve into the criteria for qualifying as insane at the time of the act and the distinction between temporary and permanent insanity. Understand the legal implications and standards that govern this complex area of law.

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