What is the insanity standard for the State of Idaho?

Full question:

What is the insanity standard for the State of Idaho?

  • Category: Criminal
  • Subcategory: Pleas
  • Date:
  • State: Idaho

Answer:

Insanity is a mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot
distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot manage his/her own affairs, or is
subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior. In criminal cases, a plea of "not
guilty by reason of insanity" will require a trial on the issue of the defendant's
insanity (or sanity) at the time the crime was committed.

In this context, "not guilty" does not mean the person did not commit the
criminal act for which he or she is charged. It means that when the person
committed the crime, he or she could not tell right from wrong or could not
control his or her behavior because of severe mental defect or illness. Such
a person, the law holds, should not be held criminally responsible for his or
her behavior. The legal test for insanity varies from state to state.

Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Kansas, are the only four states who do not
recognize an insanity plea during criminal proceedings.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

In Idaho, mental illness laws focus on how mental health affects criminal responsibility. A person may be deemed mentally ill if they cannot understand the nature of their actions or distinguish right from wrong due to a severe mental disorder. However, Idaho does not allow an insanity defense in criminal cases, meaning that defendants cannot claim they were not responsible for their actions due to mental illness.