Provocation (1996) Today
: Cases like R v Morhall [1996] and R v Thornton (No. 2) [1996] challenged the "reasonable person" standard. Courts began to consider whether specific traits—such as "battered woman syndrome" or even a person's age—should affect how we judge their loss of self-control.
: Provocation testing became a standard for diagnosing noncardiac chest pain. Provocation (1996)
In 1996, the legal landscape surrounding the defense of "provocation" underwent significant scrutiny. Often used in criminal cases to reduce a charge of murder to manslaughter, this defense hinges on the idea that a "reasonable person" would have lost self-control under specific circumstances. : Cases like R v Morhall [1996] and R v Thornton (No