DURHAM RULE

Durham  rule.Criminal  law.  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  v.

United States, 214 F.2d 862 (D.C. Cir. 1954)). • 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.  [Cases:

Criminal Law    48.] [Blacks Law 8th]