Intro to Paralegal Studies Practice Exam 2026 - Free Paralegal Practice Questions and Study Guide

The type of law that primarily governs the insanity defenses is criminal law. This area of law deals with offenses against the state or public and involves the prosecution of individuals accused of committing crimes. Insanity defenses are a legal strategy used in criminal cases to argue that a defendant should not be held criminally responsible for their actions due to mental illness at the time of the crime. This concept recognizes that an individual may lack the necessary mental state required to be found guilty of a crime if they were unable to understand the nature or wrongfulness of their actions due to a severe mental disorder.

Criminal law also outlines the standards and procedures for evaluating a defendant’s mental state, including various tests for insanity, such as the M'Naghten Rule or the Model Penal Code test. These standards are critical during a trial when a defendant asserts an insanity defense. The other types of law listed, such as civil law, family law, and international law, do not directly address criminal culpability or defenses related to mental health in the context of criminal offenses.