Depression ─ Law and Ethics

Depression is amorphous. It defies easy generalization, and eludes medical and legal categories. Is it part of the self, or its predator? Can a sufferer be held responsible for their actions? This edited collection provides a holistic study of a protean illness.

If the law is to regulate the lives of those who suffer from depression, it is vital that lawyers understand the condition. Drawing upon a wide-ranging expertise, this volume looks at depression from four viewpoints: that of the sufferer, the clinician, the ethicist, and the lawyer. Topics covered include the cultural history of depression; causes, epidemiology, and diagnosis; the autonomy debate; criminal responsibility; public health law; depression in the workplace; depression and children; and assisted suicide.

First-hand accounts from sufferers are followed by contributions from clinicians who say what depression is, outline its demography and therapeutic options, and indicate the legal and ethical problems that trouble them the most. The essays then go on to explore legal and ethical questions in depth. This collection is essential reading for lawyers seeking a broader understanding of depression, and non-lawyers seeking an insight into the difficulty law has engaging with the condition.

Charles Foster, Charles Foster, Senior Research Associate, Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford,Jonathan Herring, Jonathan Herring, Professor of Law, University of Oxford

Charles Foster is a fellow of Green Templeton College and a practising barrister at Serjeants' Inn Chambers. He is a member of the faculty of law, a senior research associate at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, and a research associate at the Ethox Centre and the Helex Centre, all at the University of Oxford. His books include: Altruism, Welfare and the Law (with Jonathan Herring), Dementia: Law and Ethics (Editor, with Jonathan Herring and Israel Doron), Medical Law: A Very Short Introduction, Human dignity in bioethics and law, and Choosing Life, choosing Death - The Tyranny of Autonomy in Medical Law and Ethics. As a barrister he has been involved in many leading cases in recent years, including the assisted dying litigation in the House of Lords (Purdy) and the Supreme Court (Nicklinson).


Jonathan Herring is a professor of law and fellow of Exeter College at the University of Oxford. He has written many books on issues around medical law and ethics, family law, criminal law, care law, and elder law. A full list of his publications can be found at http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/profile/herringj. His books include A Very Short Introduction to Family Law , Criminal Law, and Older People in Law and Society.