Legal Definitions - legal insanity

Legal insanity is a term used to describe a mental disorder that is severe enough to prevent a person from having legal capacity and excuses them from criminal or civil responsibility. It is a legal standard, not a medical one.

For example, if someone commits a crime while experiencing a severe mental illness, they may be found not guilty by reason of insanity. This means that they are not held responsible for their actions because they were not in a sound state of mind at the time.

There are different types of legal insanity, such as emotional insanity, which is when a person experiences a violent excitement of emotions or passions that creates complete derangement of intellect. Another type is temporary insanity, which only exists at the time of a criminal act.

Overall, legal insanity is an important concept in the legal system because it recognizes that some individuals may not be fully responsible for their actions due to mental illness.