In this case, we will contact you before your hearing to find out if you would like legal advice. The psychiatrist may ask you not to have access to your documents if they believe it could cause serious harm to you or someone else. The court may agree that you will not see the documents or order the mental health service to let you see them. Practitioners must inform their clients of their right to appeal the MHRT`s decision within 60 days of receiving written notice of the decision and their right to seek legal aid for an appeal to the Mental Health Tribunal. Practitioners should consider the merits of an appeal and determine whether a notice of appeal should be filed. If the practitioner feels that an appeal should be filed, this option should be discussed with the client. If the merits are considered, the practitioner must assist the client in completing and filing the Notice of Appeal and Legal Aid Application Form. An application form must be sent to Legal Aid Queensland with sufficient information to assess the merits of the appeal. Lawyers usually specialize in one or more areas of law. A lawyer who can help you buy a home may not be able to help you with a mental or social problem. So you need to find a lawyer who can help you with the type of problem you have.

Phone: 0300 555 0333 (9am – 4pm, Monday to Friday)Address: PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJEmail: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.ukWebsite: www.legalombudsman.org.uk If you prefer to represent yourself before the court, our lawyers can help you understand how the court works and provide you with information to help you prepare to speak on your own behalf. You don`t have to attend the hearing, but if you do, you can ask questions and tell the court what you think of the order. You may be represented in court by a person authorized by you or by a person designated by the court. How do I find a legal aid lawyer? Not all lawyers provide legal aid. You need to know which lawyers or organizations are doing this work in your area. In some regions, citizens` counselling centres or legal centres operate within the framework of legal aid. You are entitled to free legal advice if you are arrested. You can use your own lawyer or the attorney. The court will hear the facts of the case and ensure that a person is only detained in hospital in accordance with the law.

Patients have the right to be represented before the Mental Health Tribunal by a legal representative appointed by the Mental Health Commission. They will also arrange an independent medical examination by a counseling psychiatrist. Patients have the right to go to court if they wish. Hearings shall be conducted `expeditiously and with as little formality and formality as possible an appropriate examination of the matters pending before it` (Article 181(1)(d)). Given the personal matters in question, the hearings are closed to the public. Typically, all participants are seated at a large table – all three members of the tribunal, the person undergoing mandatory treatment and their lawyer and/or lawyer if they have one, representatives of the treating team and any other support person the consumer wishes to visit. If the hearing is conducted by videoconference, the members of the tribunal sit at a table in the court offices while the other participants are in the hospital or on duty. For more information on legal aid, see: www.gov.uk/legal-aid Disability Law ServiceAdvice on social protection, housing, employment, discrimination and benefits for people with disabilities and their carers. Legal aid for social welfare and housing. The Community Care and Housing Advice Line is available to people who are not eligible for legal aid. Since 1 November 2006, a person admitted to hospital against his or her will (involuntary patient) has the right to appeal to a mental health court within 21 days of admission.

This section explains how to get legal help from a lawyer or elsewhere. It tells you when you could get help paying for it. This information is intended for anyone with mental illness who needs legal advice. Phone: 0345 345 4 345 (9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sat)Minicom: 0345 609 6677Website: www.gov.uk/civil-legal-advice The Mental Health Commission is responsible for the establishment of these courts. You will receive written notice of the hearing, indicating the date, time, place and purpose of the hearing.

If you receive a treatment order, your hearing cannot be rescheduled to a date after expiration, except in exceptional circumstances. The court can extend your order until the new hearing date, but no more than 10 business days and only once. If a conflict of instruction persists, practitioners must inform the court of the guardian`s position, but continue to represent the client`s views, desires and preferences to the extent that the client can communicate them. If the client is unable to express their views, desires and preferences, practitioners must represent the client`s best interests. Your insurance policy can help you get legal advice on other topics. For example, your car insurance could cover the cost of legal advice if you have a problem at work. Some employers have employee support programs where you can get legal advice. The Disability Law Service provides free legal advice on community care, employment, housing and social benefits to people with disabilities and their caregivers. You can find their contact information in the Useful Content section at the bottom of this page. The court considers both oral evidence presented by the parties and others and written evidence, such as the report prepared by the department and the person`s clinical record. There is no formal requirement as to the order in which evidence is presented or submissions are made. Tribunal members will take turns asking questions of all participants.

The lawyer has the opportunity to present his observations. The lawyer and the person themselves can also ask questions of the treating team. While the hearing may be informal, it must still include a thorough presentation and review of the evidence. If the practitioner determines that the client is able to waive legal representation and the client indicates that he or she wishes to request to waive the right to be represented by his or her designated representative, such waiver must be requested in writing from the MHRT, as required by subsection 740(4) of the LSMT. Victoria Legal Aid and the Mental Health Legal Centreexternal link may be able to provide you with a lawyer to represent you in court. You can call Victoria Legal Aid (1300 792 387) and the Mental Health Legal Centre (03 9629 4422) or ask a lawyer to refer them and they will contact you. This service is free of charge. We will notify you as soon as possible. We will then inform the health department we represent you and request your report, which should be provided to you at least 48 hours before your hearing. Ask your health department for a copy if you have not received one.

The lawyer will contact you to take your instructions and prepare for the hearing. If an adult client refuses to be represented by a lawyer, the practitioner must assess whether the client is able to do so. If the MHRT accepts the waiver of legal representation, the practitioner is not obliged to continue to represent the client or attend the hearing. You can check with www.gov.uk/legal-aid-eligibility-calculator if you are eligible. You can get free legal help from a lawyer if you appeal to the court. When a lawyer gives you free legal help, it is called pro bono advice. You can find out if there is a local lawyer who offers free advice to www.lawworks.org.uk and www.barprobono.org.uk and www.lawcentres.org.uk. The role of the Mental Health Tribunal is to revoke or confirm an authorization or renewal order. Mental health courts may also consider proposals for transfer to the central psychiatric hospital and proposals for the use of psychosurgery. Although the court has legal powers, it is not as formal as a court. Its members are doctors, lawyers and community members.

The Mental Health Law Centre offers representatives from the Mental Health Court. The MHLC believes that everyone has the right to legal representation and should be strengthened and supported throughout the process. Our goal is to address the alarming level of legal representation of people undergoing forced psychiatric treatment at hearings where important decisions are made about their own freedoms. The Mental Health Court is not part of a hospital or clinic. It is an independent tribunal that decides on treatment orders and whether people can receive electroconvulsive treatment (ECT). You may have to pay your legal bills if you make money or get a property in your case. Civil law adviceCivil law advice can help you find a lawyer who works in legal aid. You can take legal action without getting help from a lawyer if you can`t get one or if you don`t need a lawyer`s help.

Advice Now has published a series of guides on its website on how to go to court without the help of a lawyer: www.advicenow.org.uk/goingtocourt The court will review reports about your mental health, treatment and information about your overall living situation.