Question

The rule that finds people not guilty by reason of insanity due to mental illness that impaired their knowledge of the nature quality and consequences of their actions or they were incapable of realizing that these acts were wrong is called what?

Answer 1

The insanity defense is a legal concept used when a person's mental illness impairs their knowledge of the wrongness of their actions, thereby affecting their criminal culpability and possibly leading to a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The rule that finds people not guilty by reason of insanity due to mental illness, which impaired their knowledge of the nature, quality, and consequences of their actions, or their incapacity to realize that these acts were wrong, is commonly referred to as the insanity defense. This legal defense is based on the principle that certain mental disorders can inhibit an individual's ability to understand the wrongness of their actions, thus affecting their criminal culpability. The law recognizes that if someone is unable to comprehend the nature of their actions due to a severe mental defect or disorder, they may be found not guilty by reason of insanity. However, defendants must be competent to stand trial, meaning they have the capacity to understand the proceedings and to assist in their own defense. In the landmark case of Dusky v. United States, the requirement for competency was firmly established, and additional cases such as Ford v. Wainwright and Godinez v. Moran have further clarified the standards for determining competence in legal proceedings.