substantial capacity test

Definition of "substantial capacity test"
  1. This is a legal method applied in many areas when contemplating an insanity defense. Under this test, an accused person would not be held criminally liable if, at the crime's moment, they were found incapable of understanding their actions' wrongfulness or shaping their behavior according to legal norms due to mental illness or impairment
How to use "substantial capacity test" in a sentence
  1. The defense argued for the use of the substantial capacity test, believing the client's mental illness prevented them from understanding the seriousness of their actions.
  2. In the court case, the verdict hinged on whether the accused met the criteria of the substantial capacity test.
  3. The prosecution challenged the reliance on the substantial capacity test, questioning the extent of the defendant's mental incapacity at the time of the crime.

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