Legal problems in inpatient psychiatry.

This paper has discussed broadly a panorama of legal issues which may arise in the practice of inpatient psychiatry. Such a discussion can only be general and may not apply in a specific jurisdiction. Psychiatrists in inpatient settings should be familiar with all the issues raised and with local practices. Psychiatry is a field of medicine with a multitude of legal problems, more so than other medical specialties. Psychiatrists therefore have the obligation to themselves, their hospitals, and their patients to be cognizant of the legal issues in psychiatric practice. Hopefully, the more that they know, the less likely they are to be confronted with claims that they did not pay attention to this essential aspect of inpatient psychiatric practice.