Charges & matters we handle
- Involuntary admission (Form 1, Form 3, Form 4)
- Community Treatment Orders
- Capacity and consent to treatment
- Rights advice and review hearings
- Detention reviews before the Consent and Capacity Board
Your rights under the Mental Health Act
Being held under a Form does not remove your right to challenge that detention. The law sets out timelines and review rights, including the ability to apply to the Consent and Capacity Board for a hearing about whether the criteria for detention are actually met.
How we help
We explain what a particular Form means, the timelines that apply, and the options to seek a review. At a hearing, we put forward your position on whether the legal test for detention or treatment is satisfied.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Form 1?
A Form 1 authorizes a psychiatric assessment and short-term detention for assessment. It does not mean indefinite detention, and there are rights and review options that follow. Legal advice can help you understand and respond to it.
Can involuntary admission be challenged?
Yes. A person detained involuntarily can apply to the Consent and Capacity Board to review whether the criteria for detention are met. We can represent you at that hearing.
Related practice areas
- Consent & Capacity BoardAdvocacy at Consent and Capacity Board hearings — involuntary admission, treatment capacity, and substitute decision-making.
- Ontario Review BoardRepresentation at Ontario Review Board hearings for those found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) or unfit to stand trial.
- Assault & DomesticAssault, assault causing bodily harm, and domestic allegations handled with discretion and urgency.
Talk to Nicola Circelli
Free, confidential consultation. Available 24/7 for arrests and bail.
This page provides general legal information only; it is not legal advice and does not create a solicitor–client relationship. Outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case.