title: [Continuous mental disorder as a prerequisite for the loss of legal capacity].
abstract: German civil law differentiates between continuous and temporary mental disorder. Loss of legal capacity can only be ascertained if a continuous mental disorder is evident. Considering the far-reaching consequences of the loss of legal capacity, careful distinction between these two groups of disorders is necessary, but clear legal guidelines and unequivocal psychiatric statements are still lacking. The solution given here can assure the quality of expert testimony by taking into account the current diagnostic conventions of ICD-10 research criteria as well as relevant knowledge about clinical course and therapy of psychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie am Universitätsklinikum der RWTH Aachen, Germany. EHabermeyer@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Habermeyer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sass
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005858:Germany; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology