The McNaughtan Case

The McNaughtan Case involves the legal principle establishing the "M'Naghten Rule," which determines insanity in criminal law. It originated from the 1843 case of Daniel M'Naghten, who suffered from mental illness and believed he was persecuted by the government. As a result, he attempted to kill the British Prime Minister but misunderstood the situation. The ruling set the standard that a person is considered legally insane if, due to mental illness, they did not understand the nature or wrongfulness of their actions at the time of the crime. This case significantly influenced how the law assesses mental capacity in criminal responsibility.