legal insanity

Legal insanity is a legal concept that determines whether a person can be held responsible for their actions in a court of law. It means that at the time of committing a crime, the individual was unable to understand the nature of their actions or recognize that what they were doing was wrong, due to a mental illness or defect. If proven legally insane, the person may be found not guilty by reason of insanity and typically receives mental health treatment rather than punishment. This standard focuses on the person's mental state during the crime, not just their diagnosis.