Connor Auton and his three co-petitioners were infant children suffering from autism. Applied Behavioral Analysis or Intensive Behavioral Intervention (ABA-IBI based therapy) was the only known, effective therapy for children with autism, although it remained a somewhat controversial and expensive treatment. Neither the Medicare Protection Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 286, nor the Canada Health Act, …Read more

The Court issued this decision in response to numerous petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sections of the Act CLIV of 1997 on Healthcare pertaining to the treatment of psychiatric patients, especially those with limited disposing capacity. One petitioner objected to the provision of the AH which allowed a therapist to use the assistance of …Read more

Applicants, a severely handicapped child and his mother (and legal proxy) Ms. Glass, claimed an Article 8 violation (right to respect for private life) when Ms. Glass’ objection to a course of medical treatment was overruled by the medical staff. As a legal proxy, the mother gave authorization to the doctors at St Mary’s Hospital …Read more

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

This report addresses the admissibility of a petition that alleged the United States failed to fulfill its obligations under the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man (the Declaration). Petitioners were Barristers with Tooks Court, London, a Solicitor with Lovells, London, and representatives of the Federal Defender Program, Atlanta, Georgia. Tracy Lee Housel …Read more

Complainants P and M were mental health advocates, who brought the complaint on behalf of patients detained at Campama, a psychiatric unit of the Royal Victoria Hospital, and existing and future mental health patients detained under the Mental Health Acts of the Republic of The Gambia. Complainants alleged that legislation governing mental health in The …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 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.