title: Bipolar disorders and the law.
abstract: Bipolar disorders are a neglected subject in legal scholarship. Yet they affect decision-making across the spectrum of the law. This editorial analyses the approaches adopted across a variety of areas of legal decisions. It observes a lack of coherence in the approach of the law and attempts to identify a number of issues that are posed by the diverse symptoms of the bipolar disorders. It argues in favour of greater judicial and tribunal member education about the disorders.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Freckelton
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003657:Decision Making; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011287:Prejudice; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012036:Refugees / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology