Legal responsibility for suicide

Suicide is a frequent basis for malpractice actions in psychiatry. A review of pertinent court decisions between 1927 and 1962 showed a distinct trend toward greater accountability for both doctors and hospitals. Recent cases in California support this trend. Stricter liability may thwart treatment by compelling a conservative posture with primary emphasis on safe custody. Court decisions which threaten or punish the agency of treatment may do so at the patient's expense.