This offering focuses on civil mental disability law and policy. Following an introduction, the topics to be discussed will include involuntary civil commitment, competency and guardianship, the right to refuse treatment, the right to treatment and habilitation, special education, and discrimination. The course will examine the law as it applies to persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities, and will include a consideration of substantive tests and procedural safeguards; voluntary admissions, discharge, transfers, and least restrictive alternatives; self-determination and substituted decision-making; lawyers’ roles in mental disability systems; and the future of mental disability law. Students may take both this offering and Mental Disability and Criminal Law Seminar.

Students who would like to complete the Advanced Writing Requirement in this course should discuss with the professor and, with faculty approval, will register for one additional credit of Independent Written Work for that purpose.