[The physician's role in relation to the guardianship law]

Legislation concerning guardianship and tutelage of the mentally and/or physically handicapped had so far been governed by the antiquated concept of mental diseases. The revised law (literally: "Care" law) took shape mainly on the lines of the development that followed the great "Psychiatry Inquiry Project" conducted in Germany a few years back. All decisions to be made on the grounds of the new law should always place the well-being of the mentally diseased and handicapped patients first. In this connection medical expertise is one of the most important decision aids for the judge who is called upon to decide on tutelage and guardianship. Hence, demands to be made on the quality of expertises are correspondingly high.