Mental Disorders and the Law

Book excerpt: Although numerous books have been separately written on mental disorders and law, there is as yet no readily accessible literature dealing with both these disciplines in a single volume in Singapore and Malaysia. This present text is therefore intended to fill this gap with two aims in mind, i.e., to address the need for a practical manual useful for ready reference to the clinician, the lawyer advising his client and also for other interested laymen, and for the reader's general information and knowledge. Each chapter is structured to provide an overview of both the psychiatric and legal aspects of the subject matter. Wherever applicable or feasible, an analysis of local cases is made and comparative evaluation attempted with materials from other countries, especially those prevailing in common law and Anglo-American jurisdictions. The local law as presented in this book applies to both Singapore and Malaysia but where there exist differences, these are highlighted in the text itself.