Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 46. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 14. MENTAL COMPETENCY OF ACCUSED

Part 1. Relevance of Mental Disease or Disorder

Mental Disease Or Disorder -- Purpose -- Definition

46-14-101. Mental disease or disorder -- purpose -- definition. (1) The purpose of this section is to provide a legal standard of mental disease or disorder under which the information gained from examination of the defendant, pursuant to part 2 of this chapter, regarding a defendant's mental condition is applied. The court shall apply this standard:

(a) in any determination regarding:

(i) a defendant's fitness to proceed and stand trial;

(ii) whether the defendant had, at the time that the offense was committed, a particular state of mind that is an essential element of the offense; and

(b) at sentencing when a defendant has been convicted on a verdict of guilty or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere and claims that at the time of commission of the offense for which the defendant was convicted, the defendant was unable to appreciate the criminality of the defendant's behavior or to conform the defendant's behavior to the requirements of the law.

(2) (a) As used in this chapter, "mental disease or disorder" means an organic, mental, or emotional disorder that is manifested by a substantial disturbance in behavior, feeling, thinking, or judgment to such an extent that the person requires care, treatment, and rehabilitation.

(b) The term "mental disease or disorder" does not include but may co-occur with one or more of the following:

(i) an abnormality manifested only by repeated criminal or other antisocial behavior;

(ii) a developmental disability, as defined in 53-20-102;

(iii) drug or alcohol intoxication; or

(iv) drug or alcohol addiction.

History: En. 95-501 by Sec. 1, Ch. 196, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 184, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 95-501; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 713, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 149, Ch. 800, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 199, Ch. 42, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 595, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 209, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 161, L. 2015.