compos mentis

Thân thiện

A judge found the defendant to be compos mentis and fit to stand trial.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Of sound mind, memory, and understanding: Being mentally competent, rational, and able to think clearly.
   • In law, competent to go to trial: Legally recognized as having the mental capacity to understand the charges and proceedings in a court of law.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a person's mental state, often in legal, medical, or formal contexts. It is the opposite of .
• It typically follows a linking verb like "is" or "was" or modifies a noun directly.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • After a thorough psychiatric evaluation, the judge ruled that the defendant was compos mentis and could stand trial.
  • Despite his advanced age, he remains remarkably compos mentis and manages all his own affairs.
  • The will was upheld because the court found the testator to have been compos mentis at the time of its signing.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Standard: In law, being declared is a prerequisite for many actions, such as signing a contract, making a will, or pleading in court. The specific criteria can vary by jurisdiction.
• Medical Context: In psychiatry, the term may be used in assessments to determine a patient's capacity for informed consent or decision-making.

Variants and Related Words

• Non compos mentis (adj.): The direct antonym, meaning not of sound mind; mentally incompetent.
  • The elderly man was declared non compos mentis and a guardian was appointed.

Synonyms

• Sane: Having a healthy, sound mind; not mentally ill.
• Lucid: Thinking clearly, especially in periods of illness or stress.
• Of sound mind: A direct synonym, often used in legal documents.
• Rational: Based on or in accordance with reason or logic.

Antonyms

• Non compos mentis: Not of sound mind.
• Insane: In a state of mind that prevents normal perception, behavior, or social interaction.
• Incompetent (in a legal/medical sense): Lacking the mental capacity to make decisions.

Related Phrases

• Testamentary capacity: The legal term for being specifically for the purpose of making a valid will.
  • The lawyer questioned whether the client had testamentary capacity when the unusual will was drafted.
• Fit to plead: A legal phrase similar to , specifically regarding a defendant's ability to understand court proceedings and enter a plea.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. of sound mind, memory, and understanding; in law, competent to go to trial

Từ đồng nghĩa

• compos mentis
• of sound mind