Involuntary hospitalization--medical or judicial authority.

The case described in this paper is the basis of two verdicts, which are very important case law precedents. These verdicts, given in connection with the new law for the treatment of the mentally ill, clarify the framework in which involuntary hospitalization in Israel is implemented. These verdicts exemplify the shifting of authority, on the issue of commitment, from the medical model to a more judicial one. Although the first step in the commitment system is still performed by a physician (the district psychiatrist), the entire system is now under strict judicial supervision, and the legal procedure is of utmost importance.