Traces the evolution of the concept of informed consent and discusses its implications for social work practice. Devotes particular attention to legal statutes and case law with which social workers need to be acquainted to protect client rights and to avoid being held liable for malpractice or negligence. (Author/ABL)

A principal parodies concern over school liabilities in a satirical plan that removes all risks that might potentially cause problems. In this plan there is little room left for education. (MD)

States that litigation over the interpretation and sufficiency of technical documentation is increasingly common as a number of suits have been filed in state and federal courts. Describes the case of "Martin versus Hacker," a recent case in which New York's highest court analyzed a technical writer's prose in the context of a lawsuit…

Recognizes suicide as leading cause of death in jails, with pretrial detainees being particularly at risk. Provides clinicians serving as consultants to jails with overview of legal precedent concerning liability for jail suicides on federal appellate, federal district, and state levels. Table provides summary view of appellate-level decisions on…

Explores legal requirements, ethical tenets, documentation standards and skills involved, and clinical implications of peer review by clinical social workers. Emphasizes provider participation in the review process to facilitate a positive review outcome. (Author/ABL)

Examines nature of fiduciary relationships between social workers and clients, and describes ways they shape professional conduct. Reviews cases that have contributed to evolution of fiduciary principles in helping professions, and discusses significance of these cases for social work practice. Sees confidentiality, informed consent, and conflict…

The author discusses the copyright law as it pertains to purchasing and using computer software. She presents several case studies and lists consumer responsibilities. (CH)

The author presents 11 basic techniques, procedures, and safety practices to form the nucleus of a professional standard of care for the safety of students, spectators, and recreationists in schools, sport complexes, schoolgrounds, community buildings, and parks. (MT)

Presents case consultation describing 19-year-old White male who killed himself 2 days after outpatient therapy session. Explains parents' lawsuit against son's psychiatrist and mental health center. Case summary is followed by reviews by 2 psychiatrists from perspectives of defense and plaintiff. Concludes by discussing actual outcome of case…

Describes risk management, practice of identifying practices or activities that potentially may lead to legal liability, as dependent on appropriate documentation. Examines dynamics of recording that may increase agency exposure, proposes useful model of recording, and discusses how policy of client access to agency records can lead to improvement…

U.S. Supreme Court rule that child, through guardian ad litem, and biological mother could not sue in federal courts social worker and Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Department of Social Services for injuries caused by father because 14th Amendment to U.S. Constitution does not provide individuals with protection from private violence. Social…

Identifies major sources of campus child care liability. Offers suggestions for risk management. Concludes the best defense against the risk of a lawsuit will be hiring competent, professional, caring employees whose dedication to duty is always their first objective. (Author/ABL)

Offers historical overview of "criminal sexual psychopath" legislation, which customarily prescribes confinement for treatment (rather than incarceration for punishment) for offenders whose sex crimes are attributed to sexual psychopathology. Discusses desire of American Bar Association and Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry to…

Notes that societal efforts to protect endangered children have resulted in increased responsibilities for social workers to identify, report, and provide testimony in suspected cases of abuse and neglect. Provides information to increase social workers' knowledge of legal requisites and system realities in child protection to help them make…

Notes that enactment of mandatory child abuse reporting laws has seen increase in number of child abuse and neglect reports. It has been suggested that increased reporting has substantially reduced number of child abuse-related fatalities. Examines trends in national data on child abuse fatalities and fails to find evidence of decline.…