Legal Definitions - irresistible impulse test

Definition: The irresistible impulse test is a legal defense used in criminal cases where the defendant claims that they were unable to control their actions due to a mental disease or defect. If the defendant can prove that they could not resist the impulse to commit the crime, they may be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Example: John suffers from schizophrenia and has been off his medication for several weeks. He believes that his neighbor is plotting to kill him and decides to break into his neighbor's house to protect himself. During the break-in, John kills his neighbor. At trial, John's defense team argues that he was unable to control his actions due to his mental illness and that he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity under the irresistible impulse test.

Explanation: In this example, John's defense team is using the irresistible impulse test to argue that he should not be held responsible for his actions. They are claiming that John's mental illness made it impossible for him to resist the impulse to break into his neighbor's house and commit the crime. If the court agrees with this argument, John may be found not guilty by reason of insanity.