New York Law (NYLE) Practice Exam

The determination of extreme emotional disturbance is made from the viewpoint of a person in the defendant's situation, under the circumstances as the defendant believed them to be. This approach acknowledges the subjective experience of the defendant. In cases of extreme emotional disturbance, the legal system allows for consideration of the defendant’s particular perceptions and emotional reactions at the time of the incident, rather than relying solely on an objective standard of reasonableness.

This subjective standard helps to assess the intensity of the emotional disturbance the defendant was experiencing based on their own understanding and state of mind, rather than how a hypothetical reasonable person would react. It recognizes that individuals may perceive situations differently due to a variety of factors including past experiences, mental health, and personal circumstances, and thus can modify the legal implications of their actions in a significant way.

In contrast, the other viewpoints emphasize an objective or mixed perspective that may not adequately account for the emotional context or the individual’s unique personal situation at the moment of the event. This focus on the defendant's beliefs aligns more closely with the legal principles related to emotional disturbance in the context of culpability.