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- Dictionarydiminished capacity
noun
- 1. an unbalanced mental state that is considered to make a person less answerable for a crime and to be grounds for a reduced charge, but that does not classify them as insane; diminished responsibility: US "PTSD may be used to argue for diminished capacity as a mitigating factor at sentencing"
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Diminished capacity is an abnormal mental condition that prevents a person from forming the intent for a serious crime, but not insanity. Learn how it works as a defense and see related terms and entries.
A person lacks capacity if their mind is impaired or disturbed in some way, which means they're unable to make a decision at that time. Examples of how a person's brain or mind may be impaired include: mental health conditions – such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. dementia.
- Definition of Diminished Capacity
- Diminished Mental Capacity
- Diminished Capacity Defense
- Diminished Capacity Example Involving The “Twinkie Defense”
- Related Legal Terms and Issues
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Noun 1. A legal defense wherein a defendant admits his guilt, but argues that he should not be held fully liable for his actions due to his diminished mental state at the time.
A diminished mental capacity pleais different from the similar “not guilty by reason of insanity” plea. Someone who pleads a “by reason of insanity” defense, if successful, will receive a “not guilty” verdict. He will also be ordered by the court to be confined to a mental hospital. Someone who is victorious on a diminished mental capacity plea, ho...
In order for someone to be guilty of first-degree murder, the state must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he premeditated, or pre-planned, the attack. He also must have deliberately murdered the person, having intended to commit murder all along. Those three elements are required for a first-degree murder conviction. If there is evid...
Dan White was a former police officer and firefighter for the city of San Francisco. He and Harvey Milk were both elected to their city’s Board of Supervisors in 1977. Upon his election, White resigned from his higher-paying job with the fire department to serve on the Board, due to the fact that the city charter prohibited employees from holding t...
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt– The standard of proof required in a criminal trial: that no other logical explanation exists, given the facts presented, that the accused committed the crime.Criminal Charge– A formal accusation by a prosecuting authority that an individual has committed a crime.Defendant – A party against whom a lawsuit has been filed in civil court, or who has been accused of, or charged with, a crime or offense.Jury –A group of people sworn to render a verdict in a trial, based on evidence presented.Diminished capacity is a partial defense that argues a defendant should not be fully liable for a crime due to his mental state at the time. Learn the definition, elements, and cases of diminished capacity, and how it differs from insanity.
In criminal law, diminished responsibility (or diminished capacity) is a potential defense by excuse by which defendants argue that although they broke the law, they should not be held fully criminally liable for doing so, as their mental functions were "diminished" or impaired.
Diminished capacity is a theory that a person due to unique factors could not meet the mental state required for a specific intent crime. A diminished capacity plea differs in important ways from an insanity defense. Insanity is an affirmative defense to crimes.
Diminished capacity is a legal term that refers to a reduced mental state that prevents a person from forming the intent to commit a crime. Learn how to use this term in a sentence and how it differs from insanity.
Jul 5, 2024 · Diminished capacity is a legal defense used in criminal law to argue that the defendant, due to mental illness or impairment, was unable to fully understand the nature of their actions or distinguish right from wrong at the time of the crime.
