Legal Definitions - mental incompetence

MENTAL INCOMPETENCE

Mental incompetence means lacking the legal ability to do something, especially to stand trial or testify in court. For example, if someone has a mental illness that makes it impossible for them to understand the charges against them or to assist in their own defense, they may be found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

• After a psychiatric evaluation, the defendant was found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial for the crime.
• The witness was declared mentally incompetent to testify in court due to their severe dementia.

These examples illustrate how mental incompetence can affect a person's ability to participate in legal proceedings. In both cases, the individuals were unable to fulfill their legal obligations due to their mental state, and therefore could not be held accountable for their actions.