Not enough judgments of District Judges are published. This is in part because very many decisions that they make are… Read more
“Two Ps” – a worked out example
Category: Deprivation of liberty
Long-term s.17 MHA leave: a further go-round (by analogy) before the Supreme Court
In Re RM Application for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) [2024] UKSC 7, the provisions of the Mental Health Order (Northern Ireland) 1986 came… Read more
Mental disorder, medical evidence and deprivation of liberty
In Stockport MBC v KB [2023] EWCOP 58, HHJ Burrows addressed two questions in relating to ‘community DoL’ applications that… Read more
Tier 4 CAMHS, detainability under the Mental Health Act 1983 and (righteous) judicial frustration
Lancashire County Council v X [2023] EWHC 2667 (Fam) was rightly described by the judge as extremely disturbing, involving the… Read more
Suicide risk, the ECHR balancing exercise and the inherent jurisdiction – a Northern Irish perspective
A Health and Social Care Trust v JU [2023] NIFam 12 provides an interesting take on the extent of positive… Read more
Restraint, physical health and the detained patient: the rights in play
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust v HJ [2023] EWFC 92 concerned the question of whether specific authorisation is required… Read more
Systemically failing the human rights of children: the President of the Family Division shouts as loudly as he can
It is exceptionally unusual for a judge, let alone a very senior judge, actively to invite a claim to be… Read more
Is depriving a person of their mobile phone depriving them of their liberty? MacDonald J decides
Is depriving a person of their mobile phone depriving them of their liberty? That was the very 21st century question… Read more
George Orwell and best interests – DoLS and public protection under the spotlight
In DY v A City Council & Anor [2022] EWCOP 51, Judd J has tackled head on the perennially difficult… Read more
Alice in Wonderland, or using the Human Rights Act to extend the coercive powers of the MHA into the community
When can a mental health patient lawfully remain in the community, rather than in hospital, but be deprived of their… Read more