Adjudicative Competence

In general, adjudicative competence (fitness to stand trial) is the requirement that criminal defendants have a factual and rational appreciation of what is happening in court, as well as the ability to assist their attorneys in their defense.  These requirements could be compromised by psychiatric conditions such as psychosis or mania, or by limitations in cognitive functioning.

In its evaluations of adjudicative competence, North Star Mental Health, LLC, examines the criteria laid out in the Dusky ruling and by Minnesota Rule 20.01.  Other pertinent features of competence (e.g. plea bargaining) are similarly examined.

In addition to a gathering thorough psychosocial and psychiatric history during our evaluations, we administer standardized empirical psychological instruments to help improve the quality and accuracy of our findings and recommendations to the court.  These validated instruments have been held to meet both the Frye and Daubert standards.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to serve as legal information or advice.  It is not a guarantee of how a specific evaluation will or should be conducted, as each evaluation is unique and requires an individual approach.