Mental Health

3 Serjeants' Inn has been involved in many of the pivotal cases in this field. Silks at 3 Serjeants' Inn have chaired a number of public inquiries into the care and treatment of psychiatric patients who have committed homicide, for example the Michael Stone Inquiry, and other members have appeared as advocates in such inquiries. You can view our mental health brochure here.

Since Re F (mental patient: sterilisation) the courts have been increasingly involved in difficult social, legal and ethical challenges arising out of the care of those unable to care for themselves. Such work requires expertise beyond the Mental Health Act 1983, including the wide range of cases dealing with the provision or withholding of treatment to incapacitated or vulnerable patients, judicial reviews, and proceedings for declaratory relief or injunctions. 3 Serjeants' Inn has particular experience of dealing with difficult and sensitive medical ethical problems swiftly and at very short notice. Recent examples of this include Re MB and Re L concerning capacity and non-consensual caesarian sections. Many cases in this area require urgent applications to be made outside normal court hours. For more on our 24 hour assistance see here.