[A special facet of testing the ability to stand trial: home visits by forensic physicians]

Home visits by physicians are generally regarded as a characteristic task of general practitioners. However, this form of external medical practice is also performed in the field of forensic assessments. The article presents the data material of the "Gerichtsärztlicher Dienst" (Medico-Legal Service) of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg collected from 1975 to 2012 and analyses the numerical development and contents of external medico-legal examinations. Statistical records and evaluations of medico-legal examinations are a rarity in Germany. The study presented here is the first investigating external examinations of subjects. It focuses mainly on home visits related to criminal proceedings where it is not clear whether the person concerned is able to stand trial. This special type of medico-legal assessment is an essential part of the administration of justice today. As the article shows, there are parallels with the work of the general practitioner not only with regard to the general aspects of home visits, but also concerning their content. A general medical knowledge is indispensible for experts working in the field of clinical forensic medicine.