Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

Durham rule

Criminal lain. A test for the insanity defense, holding that a defendant is not criminally responsible for an act that was the product of mental disease or defect (Durham u. United States, 214 F.2d 862 (D.C. Cir. 1954)). 0 Formerly used in New Hampshire and the District of Columbia, the Durham rule has been criticized as being too broad and is no longer accepted in any American jurisdiction. - Also termed product test. See INSANITY DEFENSE.