Intoxication due to a defendant’s voluntary consumption of drugs or alcohol isn’t usually a defense to criminal charges—but if the intoxication was involuntary, it may be a defense on the basis that the defendant did not understand what he was doing or that what he was doing was wrong. And some states allow a defendant to assert a defense that his voluntary intoxication prevented him from forming the specific intent to commit the crime (attempted murder, for example). But this is a question of fact that the jury will usually determine.

The availability and definition of any defense to criminal charges based on the defendant’s voluntary or involuntary intoxication is usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Alabama, voluntary intoxication is generally not a defense to criminal charges. The state's legal system operates under the principle that individuals are responsible for their actions when they voluntarily consume drugs or alcohol. However, involuntary intoxication can be a defense if it can be proven that the defendant was incapable of understanding the nature and wrongfulness of their actions due to the intoxication. This might occur if someone was drugged without their knowledge. As for voluntary intoxication, Alabama law does not typically allow it as a defense to negate the specific intent required for certain crimes, such as attempted murder. However, the specifics of any case can be complex, and the determination of whether intoxication can be considered a defense is ultimately a question of fact for the jury to decide, based on the evidence presented at trial. The relevant statutes can be found in the Alabama Code, particularly within the sections dealing with criminal offenses and defenses.