Law Dictionary of Legal Terminology

NON COMPOS MENTIS

NON COMPOS MENTIS, persons. These words signify not of sound mind, memory, or understanding. This is a generic term, and includes all the species of madness, whether it arise from, 1, idiocy; 2, sickness 3, lunacy or 4, drunkenness. Co. Litt. 247; 4 Co. 124; 1 Phillim. R. 100; 4 Com. Dig. 613; 5 Com. Dig. 186; Shelf. on Lunatics, 1; and the articles Idiocy; Lunacy.