The applicant, a United Kingdom national, suffered from severe autism. He was unable to speak, his level of understanding was limited, and he lacked the ability to consent or refuse treatment. For over thirty years he had been cared for in Bournewood Hospital as an in-patient at the Intensive Behavioural Unit after which time he …Read more

The Respondent, SGLB, was an Iranian national who arrived in Australia without a visa in June 2000. He was immediately placed in immigration detention. In his initial interview with immigration officers there was “no suggestion by him that any fear of persecution and possible incarceration by the authorities there motivated his departure from Iran” (para. …Read more

The Applicants were four Afghani children who arrived in Australia with their parents as “unlawful non-citizens” (a person who is in the migration zone who is not an Australian citizen and who does not hold a valid visa) according to the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). The family was placed in immigration detention pursuant to …Read more

This case was brought by the Public Advocate of Victoria as limited guardian of BWV, a woman aged 68 years, suffering from a fatal form of dementia (most likely Pick’s disease). At the time of bringing the case, BWV had not appeared conscious, nor had she had any cortical activity for approximately three years. Evidence …Read more

H, a young woman who suffered from Down’s syndrome and was severely mentally disabled, lived with her mother, BL, who was deeply distrustful of the health authorities. When her BL fell ill and H’s behaviour became increasingly disturbed H was formally admitted to hospital for assessment under section 2 (allowing mandatory commitment for mentally ill …Read more

Petitioner, Sell, had a long history of mental illness. In 1998, a federal grand jury issued an indictment charging Sell with attempting to murder an FBI agent who had arrested him in connection with a separate charge of mail fraud and a former employee who planned to testify against him in the upcoming fraud case. …Read more

The respondent Starson was a physicist who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had intermittently received treatment in various mental institutions in the United States and Canada. Historically, he had used medication to regulate the condition. However, the side effects dulled Starson’s mind, and he refused further treatment, despite being informed his condition would deteriorate …Read more

Between 1993 and 1998, the applicant was accused of multiple offenses, including preventing her neighbors from accessing a track to the housing estate, inciting her two daughters to attack their neighbor physically and verbally, threatening her neighbor with a shovel, and doing unauthorized renovation work. In conjunction with the proceedings in the cases against the …Read more

The Appellant, Atkins, a mentally disabled individual, was convicted of capital murder and related crimes by a Virginia jury and sentenced to death. He brought this appeal alleging that he could not be sentenced to death because executing the mentally disabled would constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” as prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.

B and W were detained in hospital after being sentenced to terms of discretionary life imprisonment. Both complained that they did not have access to a procedure by which they could challenge the lawfulness of their continued detention. B was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape in 1983. His tariff period of detention was set …Read more