Citation

Villanueva Gómez F. Rev. Neurol. 2002; 34(6): 555-562.

Vernacular Title

Aspectos juridicos de las epilepsias.

Affiliation

Servicio de Neurofisiología Clínica; Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo, 33006, España. FVILLANUEVA@HCAS.INSALUD.ES

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Revista de Neurologia)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12040501

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy has been considered by the Spanish courts of law to be a psychiatric disorder and many rulings have dealt with the supposedly violent attitude of epileptics. This has led to social and legal confusion. DEVELOPMENT: We have considered various Supreme Court rulings and evidence given by expert witnesses which show the role of epileptic disorders in our institutions. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that epileptics are still considered to be potentially dangerous persons. Mental disorder is still considered to be a partial or complete defence, although in the new Penal Code this concept of static disorder has been superseded by a mixed biological psychological formula when considering whether a person may be charged with an offence or not.

Language: es