MENTAL HEALTH LAW

This book is a comprehensive examination of civil and criminal aspects of mental
health law. Both aspects have been the subject of major legal changes in recent
years, with the coming into force of the Mental Health Act 2001 and the Criminal
Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Emerging practices of the recently established Mental Health Tribunals and the Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board are reviewed.

Contents: Constitutional and human rights in mental health law; Institutions of mental
health law; Legal criteria for civil commitment; Procedure for civil commitment; Mental health tribunals; Wards of court; The insanity defence; Diminished responsibility; Mental health in sentencing; Fitness to plead; Patient transfers; Patients rights; Confidentiality; Consent to treatment; Negligence actions.

Dr Darius Whelan is a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University College Cork.