AUTOMATISM

automatism   (aw-tom-<<schwa>>-tiz-<<schwa>>m),   n.1.   Action   or   conduct   occurring

without will, purpose, or reasoned intention, such as sleepwalking; behavior carried out in a state

of unconsciousness or mental dissociation without full awareness. • Automatism may be asserted

as  a  defense  to  negate  the  requisite  mental  state  of  voluntariness  for  commission  of  a  crime.

[Cases:  Criminal  Law    46.  C.J.S. Criminal  Law §§  96–98,  113.]  2.  The  state  of  a  person  who,

though capable of action, is not conscious of his or her actions. — automaton,n.

“How far is automatism a defence? It has been defined as involuntary action performed in a

state of uncons-ciousness not amounting to insanity. Theoretically the defence is that no act in the

legal sense took place at all — the plea is that there was no volition or psychic awareness.” George

Whitecross Paton, A Textbook of Jurispru-dence 315 (G.W. Paton & David P. Derham eds., 4th ed.

1972).

ambulatory automatism.Automatism that consists in irresponsible or purposeless wanderings.[Blacks Law 8th]