A system and method of breakaway clutching in a computer-assisted medical device includes an articulated arm having one or more first joints and a control unit coupled to the articulated arm and having one or more processors. The control unit operates each of the first joints in multiple states. The multiple states include a locked state, wherein movement of respective first joints is restricted, and a float state, wherein movement of the respective first joints is permitted. The control unit further switches one or more second joints selected from the first joints from the locked state to the float state when a stimulus on the second joints exceeds one or more unlock thresholds and switches the second joints from the float state to the locked state when a velocity of each of the second joints is below one or more lock thresholds.
