McNaghten Rule Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term McNaghten Rule.

(n) McNaghten Rule

The McNaghten Rule is a legal principle used to judge whether a person is legally insane at the time of committing a crime. According to this rule, if a person doesn't understand the nature of their actions or can't tell that what they're doing is wrong due to mental illness, they may be considered legally insane and potentially not held responsible for the crime. The rule was established following an English court case in 1843 involving Daniel McNaghten.