IDIOT

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) In contemplation of Law, one who has been born totally deficient in understanding, or has lost it by sickne , so as to have no lucid intervals: lunatic, properly speaking, one who has lucid intervals. The care of idiots and lunatics is a branch of the prerogative of the crown, and exercised ordinarily by the chancellor. By the common law persons were found idiots or lunatics by verdict of a jury on a writ de idiots or de lunatico inquirendo; but m later times by commi ions i ued, on petition from near relations, under the great seal. Commi ions are also frequently i ued to determine not specifically whether the party be an idiot, ., but whether he be under such imbecility as to require protection in the management of his affairs; and such is now the more ordinary course. The custody of an idiot's estate is then entrusted to the committee of the estate. [s. 598]