A worthwhile watch to help understand the erosion of rights going on here

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ‘𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁’ 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 ➡️https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/supreme-court-abolishes-acid-test-determining-deprivation-liberty-disabled-people

Supreme Court have basically taken away the right to challenge being 'kept prisoner', if you are a person in a care home setting. Major charities are aghast. So are families.

This is a crystal-clear analysis explaining why the UKSC decision yesterday that overturned Cheshire West is appalling (add it to the list). Thanks to @droliverlewis.bsky.social for this public service

Disturbing thread. UK Supreme Court has ruled to revoke human rights of yet another marginalised group - disabled people. This video from @droliverlewis.bsky.social especially offers a clear explanation of the ruling and the horrific implications. Worth a watch. bsky.app/profile/drol...

The UK Supreme Court has abolished the ‘acid test’ to see if a disabled person is deprived of their liberty. Here’s a short video explainer www.youtube.com/watch?v=bojH...

The UK Supreme Court has abolished the ‘acid test’ to see if a disabled person is deprived of their liberty. Here’s a short video explainer www.youtube.com/watch?v=bojH...

So many broken promises and missed targets - so 15 years after the ‘watershed’ of Winterbourne View, autistic people & citizens with learning disabilities still suffer state-sanctioned abuse. My @theipaper.com column on a scandal dragging on in plain sight inews.co.uk/opinion/auti...

Roll up, roll up! 🎉 30% off my book until 24 May! www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/coercive-...

📚 In her book review, Emma Sutton KC (Chair of the Court of Protection Bar Association) says my book "is an authoritative text providing a serious contribution to a developing area of law". It "both reflects and advances an important shift in contemporary legal thought." 📚

My book 'Coercive Control and Vulnerable Adults' was launched last week 🥳 Thanks to King LJ, Emma Sutton KC, Akua Agyepong and Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) for speaking on the panel chaired by Mary-Rachel McCabe

📚 Excited to share my book 'Coercive Control and Vulnerable Adults' 👉 Law & procedure in the Court of Protection & under the inherent jurisdiction 👉 Trauma and domestic abuse 👉 How to represent a local authority / a perpetrator / a victim/survivor www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/coercive-...

Book review: Coercive Control and Vulnerable Adults: Law and Practice under the Court of Protection and the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court Book Review: Oliver Lewis, Coercive Control and Vulnerable Adults: Law and Practice under the Court of Protection and the Inherent Jurisdiction of the…

My book "Coercive control and vulnerable adults: Law and Practice in the Court of Protection and under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court" comes out next week, but I've already received some copies. Order here: bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/coercive-... and DM me for a discount code 😉

Today I returned from the The International Coercive Control Conference in New York, where professionals from around the world came together to examine how systems respond to coercive and controlling behaviour.

As someone with Hungarian heritage who lived in Budapest for 14 years, is married to a Hungarian and has many Hungarian relatives and friends, I’m delighted that Tisza is in powerand @magyarpeterMP is PM. Here’s to a new beginning. Gratulárok, magyarok! 🇭🇺 🗳️ 🥂

A significant legal milestone in Scotland. A jury has found a perpetrator of domestic abuse including #coercivecontrol, guilty of 'culpable homicide' of his partner Kimberly Milne, who died by suicide. news.sky.com/story/lee-mi...

On 2 February 2026, an inquest jury in Horsham found that multiple failings in mental health care contributed to the death of 16-year-old Ellame Ford-Dunn on 20 March 2022. Read more: www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/risk-te...

UK Supreme Court hears disability rights case - the judgment, expected to be handed down next year, has UK-wide implications for people with learning disabilities, brain injury or dementia, mental health problems, and autistic people. @droliverlewis.bsky.social was instructed by Irwin Mitchell.

I'm doing a remote talk with the lovely people at Thalamos at 12:30pm today Monday (22 Sept) to support NHS leaders to prepare for when the Mental Health Bill becomes law. Sign up here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a6127d...

Baby Z sadly died last week after life-sustaining treatment was withdrawn. Asma Nizami and I represented the baby’s lovely parents before Theis J in the Family Division, instructed by Irwin Mitchell www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - @droliverlewis.bsky.social represented the family on a direct access and pro bono basis, spending over 150 hours on the case since March 2025.

Today, 19 May 2025, the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights published its report on the Mental Health Bill. Our Ulele Burnham gave oral evidence to the committee and Oliver Lewis (@droliverlewis.bsky.social) provided evidence in written submissions.

Lovely write-up by @jordan-briggs.bsky.social of our recent event on autism and learning disability in the #MHBill. With @rightfullives.bsky.social @aquinnunbroken.bsky.social @lisaperry.bsky.social @doughtystreet.bsky.social insights.doughtystreet.co.uk/post/102k68x...

“It is far too early to let this 25-year-old woman die when medical treatment is available that could prevent her death.” I’m representing the extraordinary family of an anorexic & autistic woman who now weighs 19kg. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03...

I’m in Geneva today, and presented on behalf of @inclusionintl.bsky.social at the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ day of discussion on the right to political participation. www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/oliver-... @doughtystreet.bsky.social

Here’s the video recording of our webinar last week on autism, learning disability and the #MentalHealthBill. Thanks to all who spoke and watched! youtu.be/oM53rBKkLEM @rightfullives.bsky.social @learningdisability.bsky.social

A wonderful evening hosted by @doughtystreet.bsky.social on the impact of the forthcoming Mental Health Bill. What happens with the removal of learning disability & autism when there’s no community provision?

😃With @rightfullives.bsky.social, I'm co-organising an event about learning disability, autism and the #MHBill 📢 Fab speakers, all have experience of MHA detention 📅 Tues 4 March at 6pm 📍At @doughtystreet.bsky.social and on Zoom Register here www.doughtystreet.co.uk/event/deep-d...

UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has published my written evidence on the Mental Health Bill. l suggested amendments that would advance the rights of persons with learning disabilities and/or autism #MHBill https://buff.ly/4hHhfBL

UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has published my written evidence on the Mental Health Bill. l suggested amendments that would advance the rights of persons with learning disabilities and/or autism #MHBill https://buff.ly/4hHhfBL

Private schools receiving millions of pounds of taxpayer cash to educate children with special needs have used excessive restraint on pupils and failed to manage their behaviour, leaving them “at risk of harm”, The i Paper can reveal. #RestraintForRevenue inews.co.uk/news/educati...

AP is a lovely young man with learning disabilities and autism. He experienced significant harm while being detained in a "s.136 suite" in a mental health hospital for a whopping 340 days. A Human Rights Act claim has resulted in a settlement. 1/4 www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/justice...

Today I went with an instructing solicitor on a home visit to meet my client, a young autistic man with learning disabilities. Through his mum who interpreted his sounds, words and movements, I learned about the way he communicates, about his hobbies and talents, and his wishes and worries.

Welcome news. From today, offenders serving a sentence of at least 12 months for controlling or coercive behaviour will be automatically managed under multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa)

It’s worth watching Trudeau’s excellent speech in full youtu.be/xiaACQpFUfE

I’m reading a lot more CBC these days, to understand the Canadian take on Trump, and now the bonkers tarrifs. The idea in this article is quite something! www.cbc.ca/news/world/c...

Court of Appeal provides guidance on how an appeal court should proceed if capacity to conduct the appeal is in question www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/oliver-...

Lovely column by dear Ol!

Thank you London Court of Protection Practitioners Association for hosting an interesting seminar on coercive and controlling behaviour 1/3

Super helpful new guidance, relevant also for Court of Protection lawyers 👉 Family Justice Council Guidance on Neurodiversity in the Family Justice System for Practitioners

Today is #HolocaustMemorialDay. I fall silent in remembrance of the victims of prejudice and persecution. #WeRemember 1/4

If you have a recommendation for a UK-based occupational therapist with expertise in learning disabilities and autism who can act as an expert in court proceedings, please DM me!

Looking forward to speaking about coercive control, influence and capacity when dealing with vulnerable clients, at 5:30pm next Weds 29 Jan in central London, with my DSC colleague Nancy Williams & Yogi Amin of Irwin Mitchell. Info below to book a spot.

Searching for a UK-based occupational therapist with expertise in learning disabilities and autism who can act as an expert in court proceedings. Please DM me with recommendations!

It was a delight to speak this morning at #CerebralPalsyEurope's online conference on political participation of people with disabilities cerebralpalsyeurope.org

I've just seen that the new Chief Coroner has published a "naughty list" of organisations that have not responded to Prevention of Future Deaths reports. Several central government ministries, NHS Trusts, 3 royal colleges and NICE are all on the list.

If you'd like a deep dive into the #MentalHealthBill, please join us at Doughty Street Chambers, 6pm on Tues 21 Jan, in-person or online. I'll be speaking about the potential impact on people with learning disabilities and autistic people. https://buff.ly/4h6HMb4

I love it when judges are creative. Yesterday I did a displacement of nearest relative hearing in the county court. The judge decided to also sit as a CoP judge, lift a stay in parallel CoP proceedings and list a combo hearing before the same judge wearing two hats. Streamlined and cost effective.

Covid19 Bereaved Families for Justice member John Sullivan has died. He gave evidence to the inquiry about his daughter Susie who had Down's syndrome. He made a profound contribution to the inquiry and was a caring, sharp and witty man. May his memory be a blessing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5UZ...