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LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

incompetency

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A quick definition of incompetency:

Definition: Incompetency means not being able to do something or take responsibility because of a physical or intellectual disability or mental illness. For example, if someone is incompetent, they may need someone else to represent them in court or make decisions for them. Incompetency can affect different areas of the law, such as civil procedure, contract law, criminal law, evidence, property law, and tort law.

A more thorough explanation:

Incompetency refers to a lack of physical or intellectual ability, or being deemed unqualified to do something or take responsibility. This inability is often caused by a mental illness or disability.

Legal Representative: If someone is deemed incompetent, they need a representative to sue or defend on their behalf. This representative can be a general guardian, committee, conservator, or similar fiduciary. If they do not have a representative, the court must appoint a guardian ad litem or issue another appropriate order to protect them.

Diversity: Appointing representatives from different states than those deemed incompetent cannot create diversity, as the legal representatives are considered residents of the same state.

Default of Judgment: If defendants fail to plead or defend, plaintiffs can request an entry of default. However, those deemed incompetent cannot be entered into a default against themselves. A default judgment may only be entered when the incompetents are represented by a guardian, conservator, or fiduciary who has appeared.

Termination of Offer: The offer can be terminated because of the incapacity of a party prior to acceptance. This means that the offeree loses the power to accept if the offeree or the offeror is deprived of legal capacity to enter the contract, even if the offer is irrevocable. However, there are exceptions if it’s an option contract or a partly performed unilateral contract.

Defense to Contract: Mental incompetents lack the capacity to understand the contract. A contract with someone deemed incompetent is voidable unless the contract involves a person who has legal guardianship of them. If the incompetent person continues to retain benefits, the contract gets implied affirmed. If the incompetent person later gains capacity, they can ratify the contract.

Rape: Actus Reus of rape exists if a victim is incompetent to give consent.

Competence to Stand Trial: The incompetency of defendants to stand trial depends on their mental state at the time of the trial. It’s the prosecution’s burden to prove competency by a preponderance of the evidence.

Competency of Witness: An interested party is deemed to be incompetent to testify in support of his or her own interest against the decedent concerning communications or transactions between them (State Dead Man’s Statute). A waiver is applied if the testimony of the decedent gets before the jury through deposition of the decedent taken before he died.

Transfer by Deed: The delivery of a deed represents that the grantor intends to be immediately bound. Delivery is usually complete once the grantor places the deed in the grantee’s hand. While delivery through an escrow agent is also allowed. The grantor gives instructions to deliver the deed to the grantee, and the instruction includes certain conditions. Once these conditions are met, the title will automatically pass from the escrow agent to the grantee. Even if the grantor becomes incompetent before the conditions are met, the title will still pass.

Standard of Care of Negligence: Professionals with special skills who provide special services to the public have a special standard of care (based on custom or a national standard) when justifying their negligence. For specialists, they have a duty to disclose the risk of treatment. If they fail, they must take responsibility. One defense of disclosing is that the patient/client is mentally incompetent.

These examples illustrate how incompetency can affect various legal areas, such as civil procedure, contract law, criminal law, evidence, property law, and tort law. In each area, incompetency can impact the ability of individuals to participate in legal proceedings, enter into contracts, or provide testimony. It is important to consider the legal implications of incompetency and ensure that individuals who are deemed incompetent are protected and represented appropriately.

incompetence | incompetent

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texaslawhopefully
22:30
@KnowledgeableRitzyWasp: That all sounds great. It sounds like it has fairly diverse cuisine for a smaller city
yeah there are so many good cuisines in ithaca
renard99
22:31
@lilypadfrog: that’s a pity I’da be liking them all
texaslawhopefully
22:31
Only food I’m going to miss for sure if I leave Texas is texmex
22:31
waspy hasnt had thai food in ithaca yet. ithaca thai is so good
^^^^ truuuuuu
22:32
there are two major thai places and they have very similar names bc a divorced husband and wife own them lol
22:32
personally i think taste of thai is better than taste of thai express but thats just me
i had pho tho and it was really good and huge portions
texaslawhopefully
22:32
Glad they have good Thai food, I love Thai food! Can’t wait to visit :)
22:33
when tex goes to ithaca i want to come
Dkk
22:34
Crying Tiger, best Thai dish.
damn im so hungry all i had today was a curry tonkatsu and buldak
and it was a lil baby noodle cup
vvv hungry
22:36
curry tonkatsu so yummeh
22:36
whats even open rn? pizza?
CTB is it i think
22:37
is collegetown pizza not open
22:37
i used to get a slice from there or wings over at like 1am after my shift at the restaurant
Dkk
22:48
Ross Ulbricht free. God Bless Trump. Huge win.
JeremyFragrance
22:54
agreed
texaslawhopefully
22:55
This is an interesting read: https://thedispatch.com/article/birthright-citizenship-trump-implications/
Dkk
23:01
I mean, idk how it's possible to end birth right citizenship without amending the constitution because to me the 14th amendment is pretty clear about it.
ross ulbricht tried to hire a hitman to kill 5 people
i am not that sympathetic to him
Dkk
23:04
@KnowledgeableRitzyWasp: That might have been an FBI agent. It was most likely him and he was most likely doing it to retrieve stolen funds that corrupt FBI agents stole, but yeah moral gray area but me personally, cool with hitmen. It's not like it is uncommon to hire hitmen. I don't think the action itself is necessarily wrong but the intent behind it can be.
Dkk
23:05
Like, Boeing whistblowers being killed by hitmen = wrong but a guy hiring hitmen to retrieve stolen funds = good to me.
texaslawhopefully
23:05
@Dkk: Yeah, for sure. My guess is it'll go to SCOTUS and it'll be 8-1 or 7-2, saying that EO was unconstitutional.
Dkk
23:06
Indeed. I need a count for how many exectuive orders he has signed and how many already have pending lawsuits.
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