Commentary: personality disorders and criminal law.

The history of the personality-disorder diagnosis in law and psychiatry-in particular, the antisocial personality disorder-is recounted along with the arguments of renowned forensic psychiatrists as well as public opinion. Jurisdictions around the world are divided on the impact of the diagnosis on criminal responsibility or on sentencing.

Commentary: Deceptions to the rule on ultimate issue testimony.

Federal Rule of Evidence 704(b) (and state counterparts) bars opinion testimony on the effect of mental state on an element of a crime or defense. The application of the rule involves substantial judicial discretion. As the jurisprudence to date indicates, deceptions to the rule circumvent its application.

Commentary: responsibility and insurance coverage of the mentally ill.

Should criminal law principles be applied to life insurance claims made by the beneficiaries of an insured person who commits suicide? Any discussion of the criminal law and the M'Naghten test of criminal responsibility, as sometimes used by the courts and recommended by the authors, obfuscates the resolution of contemporary issues.

Sequestration of lay witnesses and experts.

The rule on sequestration (exclusion) of witnesses is designed to avoid fabrication and collusion and has traditional roots in the Old Testament. Special rules apply regarding expert witnesses and "support persons." The contours of such special rules are explored within the Federal Rules of Evidence, state rules of evidence, state appellate and supreme court decisions, and U.S. Supreme Court decisions.