Legal Definitions - Model Penal Code test

The Model Penal Code test is also known as the Substantial-Capacity Test. It is a legal standard used to determine whether a person is criminally responsible for their actions.

If someone commits a crime but was not aware of what they were doing because of a mental illness, the Model Penal Code test would be used to determine if they are responsible for their actions. If they are found to lack substantial capacity to understand the wrongfulness of their actions, they may not be held criminally responsible.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct are ethical guidelines for lawyers. They were created by the American Bar Association in 1983 and are organized into 52 rules, some of which are mandatory and some of which are discretionary.

One of the rules in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct is that lawyers must maintain client confidentiality. This means that they cannot share information about their clients without their clients' permission. If a lawyer were to violate this rule, they could face disciplinary action.

Another example is the rule that lawyers must avoid conflicts of interest. This means that they cannot represent clients whose interests conflict with each other. For example, a lawyer cannot represent both the plaintiff and the defendant in the same case.

These examples illustrate how the Model Rules of Professional Conduct provide guidance for lawyers to act ethically and maintain the trust of their clients and the legal system.