Legal Definitions - natural fool

A natural fool is a person who is born with a mental disability. This term is used in history to describe individuals who were considered mentally challenged from birth.

Incompetency refers to a lack of legal ability in some respect, such as the ability to stand trial or testify in court. For example, if a defense lawyer can establish their client's incompetency, the client may not have to stand trial.

• A person with Down syndrome who has difficulty understanding complex concepts may be considered a natural fool.
• If a witness in court has a severe intellectual disability and cannot understand the questions being asked, they may be deemed incompetent to testify.

These examples illustrate how natural fool and incompetency were historically used to describe individuals with mental disabilities and their legal standing in society.