Law
In criminal and mental health law, sanity is a legal term denoting that an individual is of sound mind and therefore can bear legal responsibility for his or her actions. The official legal term is compos mentis. It is generally defined in terms of the absence of insanity (non compos mentis). It is not a medical term, although the opinions of medical experts are often important in making a legal decision as to whether someone is sane or insane. It is also not the same concept as mental illness. One can be acting under profound mental illness and yet be sane, and one can also be ruled insane without an underlying mental illness.
Legal definitions of sanity has been little explored by science and medicine, as the concentration has been on illness.
Read more about this topic: Sanity
Famous quotes containing the word law:
“With proper attribution, to quote another’s thoughts and words is appropriate; plagiarism, however, is cheating, and it may break copyright law as well.”
—Kenneth G. Wilson (1923)
“I am now quite lame, from scuffling, all my fingers stiffened by playing ball. Pretty business for a law student. Yes, pretty enough; why not? Good exercise and great sport.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
—Bible: New Testament, Galatians 6:2.