Legal Definitions - somnambulism

Somnambulism

This term refers to the act of sleepwalking. In a legal context, it describes a state where an individual performs actions while asleep, without conscious awareness or voluntary control.

Generally, a person will not be held criminally responsible for acts committed during a somnambulistic state because their actions are not considered voluntary or intentional.

Here are some examples illustrating how somnambulism might apply:

• Example 1: While experiencing a severe sleepwalking episode, a person wanders into their neighbor's yard and accidentally knocks over a decorative statue, causing it to break.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the individual's actions of entering the yard and breaking the statue were not conscious or intentional. Since they were in a somnambulistic state, they lacked the voluntary control and criminal intent typically required for charges like property damage or trespass.

• Example 2: An individual with a history of somnambulism gets out of bed while asleep, walks to their kitchen, and inadvertently starts a small fire by leaving a stove burner on without realizing it.

  Explanation: This illustrates somnambulism because the act of turning on the stove and leaving it unattended occurred while the person was unconscious and unaware. They did not consciously intend to cause a fire or act negligently, as their mind was not awake and processing their actions.

• Example 3: During a particularly vivid sleepwalking episode, a person leaves their apartment, walks down the hall, and enters an unlocked vacant unit, believing it to be their own.

  Explanation: Here, the person's entry into the vacant apartment was a result of their somnambulistic state. They did not consciously intend to trespass or unlawfully enter another's property, as their actions were involuntary and performed without conscious awareness.