Indiana legal term
mental disease or defect in Indiana Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Indiana legislative session
In Indiana criminal law, “mental disease or defect” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Indiana criminal code.
What does “mental disease or defect” mean in Indiana criminal law?
"mental disease or defect" means a severely abnormal mental condition that grossly and demonstrably impairs a person's perception, but the term does not include an abnormality manifested only by repeated unlawful or antisocial conduct. (Ind. Code § 35-41-3-6)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.