Mental health law resource

Overview

Table

Section Number	Length of section	Who can do it?	Can it be renewed?	What's it for?	Can they force treament?
2	28 Days	2 doctors	No	Assessment or treatment.	Yes
3	6 Months	2 doctors	Yes	Treatment only.	Yes
4	72 Hours	A doctor	No	Admittance to hospital only.	No
5(2)	72 Hours	A doctor	No	Detention only if already admitted, until two doctors can assess. AKA “power to hold”	No
5(4)	6 Hours	A mental health nurse	No	Detention only if already admitted, until two doctors can assess. AKA “power to hold”	No
18	-	A cop	-	Power to detain someone already sectioned and not in hospital, for transit to hospital. No power of entry.	No
35	28 Days	A court and a doctor	Yes	Alternative to bail if assessment of your mental health is impossible were you to be bailed.	No
37	6 Months	A court and two doctors	Yes	In place of jail or prison, as ordered by a court.	Yes
47	6 Months	The ministry of justice	Yes	Transit from a prison to a hospital as ordered by the Ministry of Justice.	Yes
135	24 Hours	A court(directing cops)	Extended once, for 12 Hours	Transit to “a place of safey”(under exceptional circumstances, a police station). Allows powers of entry.	No
137	24 Hours	A cop	Extended once, for 12 Hours	Transit to “a place of safey”(under exceptional circumstances, a police station).	No