what is a MENTAL HEALTH SOLICITOR?

And what is a Tribunal for Mental Health? Are you being taken to court for something?

If you are sectioned in the uk you are entitled to a free solicitor who'll take instructions from you and look out for your human rights while you're in the psych ward. He'll arrange a tribunal and present your case and consult doctors and specialists about your treatment- eg different classifications under the mental health act have different benefits and problems, so you might want to be reclassified to something that will ensure you have more support when you come out or that'll bring forward or postpone the lifting of the section. He'll consult independent specialists about your treatment and question them at a tribunal (which is like a mini court room). Essentially they look out for your interests while you're under section

He'll also represent the interests of staff in the hospital who might criticize the administration of the hospital or the treatment of patients. It's a highly specialized area of law.

we have Mental Health advocates but I tell you Yours sounds like a fairy tale as ours suck!!!

Doesn't it all come under the juristriction of the Solicitor General?

no, i'm talking about the uk. don't know how it works in the us.

anyone? [bump]

No Darling, I'm in Switzerland but lived in the UK before. When my first husband was sectioned due to chronic alcoholism, he was represent by the Solicitor Generals Office and I couldn't file for divorce while he was under section...bummer!