During Arraignment, a Defendant Behaves Bizarrely, Fails to Respond to the Judge's

question 1

Multiple Choice

During arraignment, a defendant behaves bizarrely, fails to respond to the judge's questions, and shouts obscenities. The judge orders an evaluation by a forensic nurse examiner. Which information provided by the examiner will be most important to the court at this time?

• A) The defendant's mental state at the time of the crime
• B) The defendant's competence to proceed with trial
• C) The cause of the defendant's courtroom behaviour
• D) The defendant's history and cognitive abilities

---

Definitions:

Zona Glomerulosa

The outermost layer of the adrenal cortex, involved in the production of mineralocorticoids like aldosterone.

Zona Reticularis

The innermost layer of the adrenal cortex that produces androgenic steroids.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that increases blood glucose levels by stimulating the liver to break down glycogen into glucose.

Pancreas

A glandular organ located in the abdomen that plays an essential role in digestion and blood sugar regulation, by secreting digestive enzymes and insulin.