What is an insanity defense in criminal defense law?

An insanity defense in criminal defense law is a legal defense used in criminal court proceedings to argue that the defendant is not criminally responsible for their actions due to their mental illness at the time of the crime. This defense is available in all 50 U.S. states, including Washington. In order to be found not guilty by reason of insanity, the defendant must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were unable to understand the wrongfulness of their actions due to their mental illness at the time of the crime. In order to support an insanity defense, there must be sufficient medical evidence that proves the defendant’s mental illness at the time of the crime, usually presented by a mental health expert. If the court is convinced that the defendant did not understand the wrongfulness of their actions due to their mental illness, then the court may accept the insanity defense and acquit the defendant of the crime. However, the court can still order the defendant to receive treatment for their mental illness and the defendant may be subject to other forms of legal protection and supervision. In Washington, defendants must unfortunately also be aware of the “guilty but mentally ill” verdict, which is a unique verdict that allows the court to find the defendant guilty and sentence them for their crime, but also order them to receive mental health treatment.

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What is an insanity defense in criminal defense law?

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