substantial capacity test

substantial capacity test
substantial capacity test n: a test used in many jurisdictions when considering an insanity defense which relieves a defendant of criminal responsibility if at the time of the crime as a result of mental disease or defect the defendant lacked the capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her conduct or to conform the conduct to the requirements of the law – called also ALI test, Model Penal Code test; compare diminished capacity, irresistible impulse test, m'naghten test
◇ This test was first formulated in the Model Penal Code and has been adopted by many jurisdictions.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. . 1996.

substantial capacity test
n. A test established by the Model Penal Code for the insanity defense, including elements of the McNaughten rules and the test of irresistible impulse by allowing the court to consider both awareness of wrongdoing and involuntary compulsion. Since 1984, many jurisdictions, including federal courts, have stiffened the rules due to the acquittal by reason of insanity of attempted presidential assassin John Hinkley.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary. . 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • substantial capacity test — Term used in the definition of legal insanity proposed by the Model Penal Code (No. 4.01) to the effect that a person is not responsible for criminal conduct if at the time of such conduct as a result of mental disease or defect he lacks… …   Black's law dictionary

  • diminished capacity — di·min·ished capacity /də mi nisht / n 1: an abnormal mental condition that renders a person unable to form the specific intent necessary for the commission of a crime (as first degree murder) but that does not amount to insanity – called also… …   Law dictionary

  • irresistible impulse test — n: a test used in some jurisdictions when considering an insanity defense that involves a determination of whether an impulse to commit a criminal act was irresistible due to mental disease or defect regardless of whether the defendant knew right …   Law dictionary

  • M'Naghten test — M Naght·en test /mək nät ən / n [after Daniel M Naghten, defendant in 1843 murder case heard before the British House of Lords who was acquitted due to his insanity]: a standard under which a criminal defendant is considered to have been insane… …   Law dictionary

  • criminal capacity — Accountability for committing crime; e.g., child under 7 years of age lacks criminal capacity. Application of Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 87 S.Ct. 1428, 1438, 18 L.Ed.2d 527. + Legal qualifications necessary to commit a crime such as voluntariness of the… …   Black's law dictionary

  • criminal capacity — Accountability for committing crime; e.g., child under 7 years of age lacks criminal capacity. Application of Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 87 S.Ct. 1428, 1438, 18 L.Ed.2d 527. + Legal qualifications necessary to commit a crime such as voluntariness of the… …   Black's law dictionary

  • ALI test — /ˌā ˌel ī / n: substantial capacity test Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • Model Penal Code test — Mod·el Penal Code test n: substantial capacity test Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • criminal capacity — The capacity to commit a crime, that is, legal mental capacity, whereunder responsibility for the commission of an act prohibited by law and susceptibility to punishment provided by law attaches to the wrongdoer. 21 Am J2d Crim L § 26.… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Currens test — A test of insanity which will constitute a defense in a criminal prosecution, requiring no more than that thejury must be satisfied that at the time of committing the prohibited act, the accused, as a result of mental disease or defect, lacked… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

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