Involuntary commitment

Involuntary commitment is the practice of using legal means or forms as part of a mental health law to commit a person to a mental hospital, insane asylum or psychiatric ward without their informed consent, against their will or over their protests. Many but not all countries have mental health laws governing involuntary commitment. Some, such as the United States, require a court hearing if the subject of the more or less brief initial commitment (approved by a doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist) protests, though in some cases this initial hearing must be immediate; while others allow involuntary commitment at the request of physicians who must follow set legal procedures. In the latter case there are then additional checks and sometimes hearings to ensure compliance with the law. It may also sometimes be possible to challenge the commitment through habeas corpus.

Related Topics:
Mental health law - Mental hospital - Psychiatric ward - Informed consent - United States - Doctor - Psychologist - Psychiatrist - Physicians - Habeas corpus

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Though involuntary commitment has long been a practice of most societies, some individuals and groups have challenged it from a civil libertarian perspective, particularly in countries that are part of the Anglo-American judicial tradition. There have also been allegations, many widely accepted, that at certain places and at certain times the practice of involuntary commitment has been used for the suppression of dissent, or in a punitive way.

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