Legal Definitions - volitional test

A volitional test is a legal term used in criminal law to determine if a person is criminally responsible for their actions. It is also known as the irresistible-impulse test. This test is used to determine if a person's mental illness prevented them from controlling their potentially criminal behavior.

For example, if a person with a mental illness commits a crime, they may use the volitional test as a defense. They would argue that their mental illness prevented them from controlling their actions and, therefore, they should not be held criminally responsible.

It is important to note that only a few jurisdictions have adopted this test, and it is often combined with the McNaghten rules. The McNaghten rules state that a person is not criminally responsible if they did not know what they were doing or did not understand that it was wrong.

Overall, the volitional test is used to determine if a person's mental illness prevented them from controlling their actions and if they should be held criminally responsible for their behavior.