a defence used in criminal cases where the accused’s mental state leads them to commit a crime without knowing they are doing it. Insane automatism is when a person is mentally ill and commits the crime. Non-insane automatism is when the accused was temporarily affected, for example while sleepwalking or suffering from a fit or concussion.
A successful plea of automatism will result in a full acquittal.
Synonyms and related words
Miscellaneous legal terms
abatable
accession
accrual
Synonyms and related words
Specific mental illnesses and general words for mental illness
agoraphobia
ASPD
automatism
automatism
noun uncountable legal
US /ɔˈtɑmətɪz(ə)m/
DEFINITIONS1
1
a defense used in criminal cases where the accused’s mental state leads them to commit a crime without knowing they are doing it. Insane automatism is when a person is mentally ill and commits the crime. Non-insane automatism is when the accused was temporarily affected, for example while sleepwalking or suffering from a fit or concussion.
A successful plea of automatism will result in a full acquittal.
Synonyms and related words
Miscellaneous legal terms
abatable
accession
accrual
Synonyms and related words
Specific mental illnesses and general words for mental illness