Final answer:
The "Substantial Capacity" test for insanity is used by courts to assess whether a defendant could understand their actions' wrongfulness during the offense. Competence to stand trial is established by a competency evaluation, and cases like Dusky v. United States help define these legal standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The "Substantial Capacity" test for insanity is a legal standard used by courts to determine whether a defendant was mentally capable of understanding the wrongfulness of their actions at the time of the offense. This test is relevant in cases where the defense argues that a person is not responsible for their criminal behavior due to a mental disease or defect that impedes their ability to either understand the nature and quality of their acts or to differentiate between right and wrong.
In the context of criminal law, a speedy trial is crucial to ensure that a defendant is not subject to prolonged incarceration without a conviction. Furthermore, defendants must be competent to stand trial, meaning they must understand the charges and evidence against them and be able to participate in their defense. The competency to stand trial is a legal requirement established by cases such as Dusky v. United States and Godinez v. Moran.
Competence to stand trial or to be executed is assessed through a competency evaluation, which is a judicial proceeding used to determine if a defendant's mental state allows for meaningful participation in the legal process. As such, the courts have decreed that individuals found incompetent cannot be tried or executed, and juveniles cannot be tried as adults if they do not meet specific competency criteria.