psychiatric examination
psychiatric examination. Criminal law. An analysis performed by a psychiatrist to determine a defendant’s mental state. • A defendant in a criminal prosecution may undergo a psychiatric examination to determine competence to stand trial or to establish a defense based on some mental condition, such as insanity. — Also (more broadly) termed mental examination. See INSANITY DEFENSE ; COMPETENCY(2). Cf. competency proceeding under PROCEEDING; SUBSTANTIAL-CAPACITY TEST; INDEPENDENT MENTAL EVALUATION.