Children, Mental Health and Community Care

Prior to being called to the Bar, Dermot Casey qualified and worked as a social worker.  Since being called, he has developed a practice in the following areas: family (private and public law); adoption; mental health; incapacity; and judicial review.  He has a particular interest in human rights law as it affects families and individuals.

Dermot lectures regularly to lawyers and child care professionals.  He also contributes to journals and was co-author of Adoption and Contact [2000] Fam Law 39 and The Appearance of Fairness New Law Journal Vol 152 No 7044, Aug 2002 on the case of P,C and S -v- UK (as to which see below).

The Family Law Bar Association

Re U (Care Proceedings: Criminal Conviction: Refusal to give evidence) [2006] EWHC 372 (Fam)  [2006] 2 FLR 690

Care proceedings - Refusal of parent to give evidence in fact finding hearing - Advice of criminal lawyer - Criminal conviction - Pending appeal - Weight to attach to conviction - Lack of practical sanction - Cross-examination of witnesses allowed

A Local Authority -v- H and Another [2005] EWHC 2885 (Fam)

Orders in family proceedings - Contact order - Expert evidence - First respondent found to have obstructed airways of her first child leading to his death - Court commenting on approach in law to issues arising under Children Act 1989

Re H (A Child) (Care Order: Appropriate Local Authority) [2004] Fam 89 (CA)
Care proceedings - Designated local authority - Child placed in foster care under interim order in one area and subsequently with relatives in another area - Whether placement affecting designation of appropriate local authority in care order - ss 23(6), 31(8), and 105(6) Children Act 1989

Re O (Care Proceedings: Evidence) [2004] 1 FLR 161 (Fam)
Care proceedings - Child separately represented - Whether child should give oral evidence - Inferences to be drawn from mother's failure to give oral evidence

P, C and S v United Kingdom [2002] 2 FLR 631
Care proceedings - Freeing for adoption - Legal representation - Arts 6 and 8 of European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950

R v Feggetter and Mental Health Act Commission Ex Parte Wooder [2002] 3 WLR 591
Mental disorder - Medical treatment, consent to - Judicial review - Reasons for decision to treat - Convicted patient compulsorily detained at secure hospital - Doctors deciding to administer anti-psychotic medication despite patient's refusal to consent - Whether patient entitled to disclosure of doctor's written reasons for imposing treatment - Mental Health Act 1983 (c 20), s. 58 - Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), Sch. 1, Pt I, art 8

M v London Borough of Islington and L [2002] 1 FLR 95
Family proceedings - Bias - Involvement in interdisciplinary pilot project

Re D (Evidence: Facilitated Communication) [2001] 1 FLR 148
Evidence - Allegations of abuse - Victim of alleged abuse suffered from severe communication difficulties