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 […]
automatism n. 无意识行为；不自觉动作；自动症 指行为人行为时明显处于一种无意识或不能控制自己行为的状态。无意识行为可作为不构成犯罪的辩护理由。但由于行为人自己的行为(如醉酒)而导致的无意识行为不能作为其行为不构成犯罪的辩护理由。
Automatism that consists in irresponsible or purposeless wanderings.
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affirmative defense 〈美〉肯定性答辩；积极的答辩 指被告并不否认原告所主张之事实的真实性，而是提出其他的理由来说明为什么自己不应承担责任的答辩。因此，它并不反驳原告诉求之真实性，而只是否认原告在法律上有起诉的权利。根据联邦及大多数州的民事诉讼规则，所有的肯定性答辩都必须在应答书状〔responsive pleading〕即答辩状〔answer〕中提出，且被告对其所提之事由负证明责任。这些事由包括和解和清偿〔accord and satisfaction〕、自担风险〔assumption of risk〕、混合过失〔contributory negligence〕、胁迫〔duress〕、时效、不容否认〔estoppel〕等。在刑事诉讼中，构成肯定性答辩的事由包括精神失常、醉酒、自卫、无意识行为〔automatism〕、不在犯罪现场〔alibi〕、受胁迫等。
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A novel defense based on diminished capacity attributed to stress or impairment. • The phrase derives from the fact that the defense is tailored to the defendant and the circumstances of the crime. Examples include extraordinary reactions to snack food (the Twinkie defense), unconsciousness or sleepwalking, and postpartum psychosis. See AUTOMATISM.
involuntary, adj. Not resulting from a free and unrestrained choice; not subject to control by the will. — involuntariness, n. “[T]he law, like everyday thought, usually confines the notion of involuntary to that subclass of cases which involve purely physical, physiological, or psychological movements of our limbs, like reflexes and convulsions, movements in sleep, during