§ 22-3222 Mental examination, commitment to certain institutions.

This rule covers a specific situation in a criminal case. It applies when a jury or judge finds the defendant not guilty of the main crime they were charged with, but also decides that the defendant committed the crime because of a mental illness (this is the "special question" answer). At the same time, the defendant is found guilty of a lesser crime or a different charge in the same case.

When this happens, the court does not just move forward like a normal criminal case. Instead, the court has to follow a separate set of legal steps found in K.S.A. 22-3429 and the laws that follow it. Those laws deal with how to handle defendants who have mental health issues connected to their case, including possible treatment or commitment instead of standard sentencing.

In simple terms, this rule makes sure that if a person's mental state played a role in the crime, the court handles the case through a special process built for that kind of situation. It does not let the case proceed as if mental illness was not a factor. This rule has been in effect since January 1, 1996.