Skip to main content
US Criminal Defense.org
Menu

Maine legal term

Mental illness in Maine Criminal Law

Current through 2026 Maine legislative session

In Maine criminal law, “Mental illness” 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 Maine criminal code.

What does “Mental illness” mean in Maine criminal law?

"Mental illness" means any diagnosable mental impairment supported by the most current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. (15 M.R.S. § 3318-A)

Statutes defining or using this term

Related terms in the same statutes

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.