R v. North West Lancashire Health Authority, ex parte A, D, & G
Country: United KingdomYear: 1999
Court: Court of Appeal, Civil Division
Citation: [1999] EWCA Civ 2022; [2000] 1 WLR 977
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health
North West Lancashire Health Authority (the Authority), the Appellant, appealed against an order quashing the Authority’s decision to refuse gender reassignment treatment to A, D and G, the Respondents. A, D and G all suffered from “gender identity dysphoria,” or transsexualism. Each had male physical characteristics but female sexual identity. A and G had been …Read more
Reid v. Secretary of State for Scotland
Country: United KingdomYear: 1999
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [1999] 1 All ER 481
Health Topics: Hospitals, Mental health, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
Hutchison Reid, the respondent, was convicted of culpable homicide in 1967. He was made the subject of a hospital order and a restriction order without any time limit under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1955 (the Criminal Procedure Act). A restriction order under the Criminal Procedure Act could only be made if the person posed …Read more
Re Evelyn
Country: AustraliaYear: 1998
Court: Family Court
Citation: (1998) 145 FLR 90; (1998) 23 Fam LR 53; (1998) FLC 92-807; [1998] FamCA 55
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to family life
“Evelyn” was born to Mrs. S as a result of a surrogacy arrangement with Mr. and Mrs. Q. Mr. and Mrs. Q and Mr. and Mrs. S had been close friends for some years and had shared several joint holidays. Mrs. Q had discussed her infertility with Mrs. S and after much deliberation, Mrs. S …Read more
Andersson, Anne-Marie v. Sweden
Country: SwedenYear: 1997
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 20022/92, 25 Eur. H.R. Rep. 722 (1998).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health information, Health systems and financing, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to privacy
Applicant, a Swedish national who lived with her youngest son was unable to work as a result of dental problems which caused her severe pain, and anxiety about a dispute with her landlord. She contacted a psychiatric clinic in order to receive a medical certificate which would enable her to claim sickness benefit from the …Read more
Burnett v. Mental Health Tribunal
Country: AustraliaYear: 1997
Court: Supreme Court of Australian Capital Territory
Citation: [1997] ACTSC 310
Health Topics: Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
This case involved a challenge to a decision of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Mental Health Tribunal. The ACT Supreme Court set aside an order to detain and administer psychiatric treatment to Geraldine Patricia Burnett, a 38 year old woman who suffered from a mild psychotic disorder. Burnett had at various times been taken into …Read more
Johnson v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 1997
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 22520/93, 27 Eur. H.R. Rep. 296 (1999).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons, Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
Applicant was a British national suffering from mental illness whilst on prison remand in 1984. He had served sentences for various physical assault convictions. The court imposed a hospital order on the applicant and subjected him to a heightened restriction order for the protection of the public from serious harm under the 1983 Mental Health …Read more
Jaffee v. Redmond
Country: United StatesYear: 1996
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 518 U.S. 1 (1996)
Health Topics: Health information, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to privacy
Respondent, Redmond, received counseling from a licensed clinical social worker after a “traumatic incident” in which she shot and killed a man while on duty as a police officer. Petitioner, Allen, the administrator of the estate of the deceased, filed an action in the Federal District Court seeking damages and alleging that Respondent had violated …Read more
Mónaco de Gallicchio v. Argentina
Country: ArgentinaYear: 1995
Court: Human Rights Committee
Citation: Mónaco de Gallicchio v. Arg., U.N. H.R. Comm., U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/53/D/400/1990 (Apr. 27, 1995).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health information, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to privacy
Grandmother of a child orphaned at the hands of the military government of Argentina who was then falsely adopted filed claims against the government citing ICCPR Articles 7 (freedom from torture, including psychological), 23 (family) and 24 (child protections) rights violations. Ximena Vicario’s parents disappeared when she was 9 months old and she was cared …Read more
Kay v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 1994
Court: European Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 17821/91
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The applicant, a British citizen, claimed violations of sections one and four of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the “Convention”) related to his involuntary recall to medical detention by the Home Secretary. In 1970, the applicant raped and killed his twelve year old neighbor. In January of 1971, the applicant pled …Read more
Department of Health & Community Services v JWB & SMB (“Marion’s Case”)
Country: AustraliaYear: 1992
Court: High Court
Citation: (1992) 175 CLR 218; [1992] HCA 15
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disabilities, Informed consent, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to life, Right to privacy
“Marion” was a fourteen year old girl with an “intellectual disability”, severe deafness, epilepsy, an ataxic gait and “behavioural problems”. She could not care for herself. Her parents proposed that Marion undertake a hysterectomy and an ovarienectomy (the Procedures). The hysterectomy was proposed to prevent natural pregnancy and menstruation and the psychological and behavioural consequences …Read more