Thoroughly updated for its Fourth Edition, this award-winning handbook gives mental health professionals authoritative guidance on how the law affects their clinical practice. Each chapter presents case examples of legal issues that arise in practice, clearly explains the governing legal rules, their rationale, and their clinical impact, and offers concrete action guides to navigating clinico-legal dilemmas. This edition addresses crucial recent developments including new federal rules protecting patients' privacy, regulations minimizing use of seclusion and restraint, liability risks associated with newer psychiatric medications, malpractice risks in forensic psychiatry, and new structured assessment tools for violence risk, suicidality, and decisional capacity.

How to Use This Book

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVILEGE

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

LEGAL ISSUES IN EMERGENCY PSYCHIATRY

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

LEGAL ISSUES IN INPATIENT PSYCHIATRY

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

MALPRACTICE AND OTHER FORMS OF LIABILITY

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

COMPETENCE AND SUBSTITUTE DECISION MAKING

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

FORENSIC EVALUATIONS

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

CLINICIANS AND LAWYERS

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings

THE CLINICIAN IN COURT

Case Examples

Legal Issues

Clinical Issues

Pitfalls

Case Example Epilogues

Action Guide

Suggested Readings