AUTOMATISM IS A CONDITION OF IMPAIRED AWARENESS IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS MAY PERFORM ACTIONS WHILE SUFFERING FROM TOTAL OR PARTIAL AMNESIA. IN THE PRESENT STUDY, 43 PATIENTS TREATED IN A NORTHERN IRELAND HOSPITAL FOR EPILEPSY AND IDENTIFIED AS HAVING EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC BEHAVIOR WERE INTERVIEWED ABOUT THEIR ILLNESSES. THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED TO THE INTERVIEW BY A RELATIVE OR OTHER INFORMED PERSON WHO WAS ALSO QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PATIENT'S BEHAVIOR DURING A STATE OF AUTOMATISM. THE SUBJECTS, 22 OF WHOM WERE CONSIDERED TO HAVE PSYCHOMOTOR EPILEPSY, REPORTED A WIDE VARIETY OF AUTOMATIC BEHAVIOR. ACCORDING TO THE INTERVIEW RESPONSES, AUTOMATIC ACTIONS OF THE PATIENTS HAVE A WELL COORDINATED, QUASI-PURPOSEFUL QUALITY THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PATIENT'S SITUATION. ONLY THREE OF THE PATIENTS REPORTED HAVING FITS PRIOR TO AUTOMATISM. ONLY 6 OUT OF THE 43 PATIENTS HAD EVIDENCED ANY VIOLENCE DURING AUTOMATISM, AND IN THESE CASES VIOLENCE USUALLY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTEMPTS MADE BY OTHERS TO RESTRAIN THEIR AUTOMATIC ACTIVITY. INFORMED PERSONS REPORTED THAT THE AUTOMATIC BEHAVIOR USUALLY LASTS 5 MINUTES OR LESS (81 PERCENT) OR 5 TO 15 MINUTES (12 PERCENT). FOR 40 PATIENTS THERE WAS TOTAL AMNESIA FOR THE PERIOD OF AUTOMATIC ACTIVITY AND FOR 3 PATIENTS THERE WAS PARTIAL RECALL OF SUCH ACTIVITY. DEFENDANTS IN CRIMINAL CASES OFTEN PLEAD INNOCENT ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY COMMITTED THE OFFENSE IN A STATE OF AUTOMATISM. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY THEREFORE HAVE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: (1) ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE UNUSUAL IN EPILEPTIC AUTOMATISM; (2) THE AUTOMATIC ACTIVITY APPEARS SUDDENLY AND PRECLUDES THE POSSIBILITY OF PREMEDITATION AND PLANNING; (3) AUTOMATIC BEHAVIOR LASTS ONLY A FEW MINUTES; AND (4) EPILEPTICS WILL HAVE NO AMNESIA FOR EVENTS OCCURRING PRIOR TO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. STUDY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)