''R v Pritchard'' (1836) 7 C. & P. 303, remains a leading case in the
law of England and Wales
English law is the common law list of national legal systems, legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly English criminal law, criminal law and Civil law (common law), civil law, each branch having its own Courts of England and Wales, ...
on assessing a defendant's
fitness to plead
In the law of England and Wales, fitness to plead is the capacity of a defendant in criminal proceedings to comprehend the course of those proceedings. The concept of fitness to plead also applies in Scots and Irish law."During the period 1946 to ...
.
[Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice 2014, at 4-235, page 431]
The ruling reported is that of
Edward Hall Alderson, cited as Alderson B. by reference to his honorary title of
Baron. The case is within the
Carrington & Payne's Nisi Prius Reports which are no longer widely available.
The importance of the case was the setting out of the following questions for the jury to answer in determining a defendant's sanity:
If there was no sure way to communicate to the defendant the details of the evidence so that he could understand them and be able properly to advance his defence then the jury ought to find that he was not of sane mind.
References
{{Reflist
1836 in British law
1836 in case law
Exchequer of Pleas cases