Mental Health Law 5th ed

The new edition of Mental Health Law by Brenda Hale (formerly Brenda Hoggett), brings together all the law relating to mentally disordered and mentally disabled people, covering both the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended in 2007) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (also amended in 2007), together with the associated regulationsand Codes of Practice.

The impact of the Human Rights Act, and the case law both here and in theEuropean Court of Human Rights in Strasburg, is also discussed.

Mental Health Law covers all the issues:-

• from the informal and compulsory care and treatment of people with mental disorders,
• decision-making on behalf of people who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves,
• the safeguards against unjustified deprivation of liberty,
• the role of mental health professionals, doctors and families in making these decisions,
• and the powers of tribunalsand the courts.

The relevance of mental disorder in the criminal justice system and its effect uponother legal rights such as voting, marrying and making wills are also covered.

Mental Health Law not only gives a plain but critical account of all the law for health and social careprofessionals working or training to work in the field, as well as for legal practitioners and students,but also to enliven it with discussion of the principles and policies involved and with commentary tostimulate discussion.