When a defendant is arraigned,she demonstrates bizarre behavior,talking to unseen people,failing to respond to questions asked by the judge,and shouting obscenities during the proceedings.The judge orders an evaluation by a forensic nurse examiner.The information of highest priority the examiner will be asked to provide for the court is an assessment of:

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Competence to proceed is defined as the capacity to assist one's attorney and to understand legal proceedings.In the United States,no one is tried unless deemed to be competent.An incompetent individual is remanded to a locked facility for treatment to regain competency.The court will desire a full assessment of the patient's present mental state related to his ability to assist in his own defense,but at this time,the court is not interested in his state of mind at the time of the original crime,nor his history.

When a Defendant Is Arraigned,she Demonstrates Bizarre Behavior,talking to Unseen