The U.S. Supreme Court has issued numerous rulings regarding mental health and how society treats and regards the mentally ill. While some rulings applied very narrowly, perhaps to only one individual, other cases have had great influence over wide areas.
Criminal competency YearCase RulingRight1960Dusky v. United StatesAffirming a criminal defendant's constitutional right to have a competency evaluation before proceeding to trial, and setting the standard for determination of such competence.BOR, 14th1966Pate v. RobinsonA hearing about competency to stand trial is required under the due process clause of the Constitution of the United States.BOR, 14th1972Jackson v. IndianaCriminal defendants who have been found incompetent to stand trial are not permitted to be held indefinitely. There must be some possibility of becoming competent in a reasonable amount of timeBOR, 14th1975Drope v. MissouriWhen deciding whether to evaluate a criminal defendant's competency, the court must consider any evidence suggestive of mental illness, even one factor alone in some circumstances. Therefore, the threshold for obtaining a competency evaluation is low. When the issue is raised, the motion should be granted. The defendant must not bear all the burden for raising the issue.BOR, 14th1985Ake v. OklahomaIndigent criminal defendants have a right to a competency evaluationBOR, 14th1996Cooper v. OklahomaThe burden for proving incompetency is only preponderance; due process would be violated if the burden is required to be carried by clear and convincing evidence.
Death penalty
YearCase RulingRight1976Profitt v. FloridaPermitted comparison of mitigating and aggravating factors to decide death penalty decisions.http://supreme-court-cases.insidegov.com/l/4137/Proffitt-v-Florida See also Furman v. Georgia (1972), and Gregg v. Georgia (1976)1st1986Ford v. WainwrightPreventing the execution [capital punishment] of the insane, requiring an evaluation of competency and an evidentiary hearing8th1989Penry v. LynaughExecuting persons with mental retardation is not a violation of the Eighth Amendment. (Overturned in Atkins v. Virginia (2002)) 8th1993Godinez v. MoranCompetency to stand trial includes the abilities to plead guilty and to waive the right to counsel1st2002Atkins v. VirginiaThe execution of intellectually disabled defendants violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.8th2005Roper v. SimmonsIn a ruling that followed Wainwright (in assessing the nature of cruel and unusual punishments), children may not be given the death penalty8th, 14th2010Graham v. FloridaLikewise, children may not be given life sentences (without possibility of parole) for offenses that do not include murder8th
Insanity YearCase RulingRight1978Lockett v. OhioSentencing authorities must have the discretion to consider every possible mitigating factor, rather than being limited to a specific list of factors.1st2020Kahler v. KansasThe due process clause of the United States Constitution does not require states to adopt a definition of the insanity defense that turns on whether the defendant knew that his or her actions were morally wrong.14th, 8th
Testimony YearCase RulingRight1981Estelle v. SmithThe same doctor who evaluated the criminal defendant for competency also testified at the penalty phase of the trial, which violated the defendant's right against self-incrimination.5th, 6th
Addictions YearCase RulingRight1962Robinson v. CaliforniaA state cannot make a person's status as an addict a crime; only behaviors can be criminal.1st1968Powell v. TexasSimilarly to Robinson v. California, a state may not criminalize the status of alcoholism itself; the state may only prohibit behaviors.8th
Right to treatment YearCase RulingRight1976Estelle v. GambleEstablished that prisoners are entitled to a minimum level of treatment.8th
Right to refuse treatment YearCase RulingRight1978Rennie v. KleinAn involuntarily committed, legally competent patient who refused medication had a right to professional medical review of the treating psychiatrist's decision. The Court left the decision-making process to medical professionals.14th1990Washington v. HarperPrisoners have only a very limited right to refuse psychotropic medications in prison. The needs of the institution take precedence over the prisoners' rights. However, there must be a formal institutional hearing, the prisoner must be found to be dangerous to himself or others, the prisoner must be diagnosed with a serious mental illness, and the mental health care professional must state that the medication prescribed is in the prisoner's best interest.14th1992Riggins v. NevadaIn a ruling very similar to Harper, the Court found that the State may force administration of psychotropic medications to a pre-trial detainee, if it establishes a medical need for the drug, and a need for the detainee's safety and that of others. To the Harper requirements, they added "less restrictive alternative" language, which requires the State to document that there are no behavioral, environmental, or other measures available that will be equally effective.6th, 14th
Civil commitment YearCase RulingRight1972Jackson v. IndianaDue process requires that the nature and duration of commitment bear some reasonable relation to the purpose for which the individual is committed." Reasoning that if commitment is for treatment and betterment of individuals, it must be accompanied by adequate treatment, several lower courts recognized a due process right14th1979Addington v. TexasRaised the burden of proof requirement, in order to civilly commit a person, from preponderance, to clear and convincing. Also, permitted the courts to defer judgment regarding a person's need for commitment, to the doctor(s)14th1979Parham v. J.R.The Court ruled that minors may be civilly committed to mental health facilities without an adversary hearing; in essence, parents do have the right to commit their children.14th1982Youngberg v. RomeoEach individual has a due process protected interest in freedom from confinement and personal restraint; an interest in reducing the degree of confinement continues even for those individuals who are properly committed. freedom from undue physical restraint and from unsafe conditions of confinement14th1975O'Connor v. DonaldsonA finding of mental illness alone is not sufficient grounds for confining a person against their will. They must be found to be a danger to others or incapable of surviving safely without institutional care.14th1993Heller v. DoeThe Court found that intellectually disabled persons are not a 'suspect' class of persons (requiring the same level of protection as racial minorities); thus, governments are free to enact almost any legislation or rule to civilly commit them, and the courts will not intervene, short of illegal or ridiculous actions (called 'rational' scrutiny).14th2000Seling v. YoungWashington State's Community Protection Act of 1990 authorizes the civil commitment of "sexually violent predators," or persons who suffer from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes them likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence. After his imprisonment for committing six rapes, Andre Brigham Young was scheduled to be released from prison in 1990. Prior to his release, the state successfully filed a petition to commit Young as a sexually violent predator. Ultimately, Young instituted a federal habeas action. The court determined that the Community Protection Act was civil and, therefore, it could not violate the double jeopardy and ex post facto guarantees. On appeal, the Court of Appeals reasoned that the case turned on whether the Act was punitive "as applied" to Young.5th
References
History of the Death Penalty, University of Alaska Anchorage, Justice Center
See also Capital punishment in the United States Participation of medical professionals in American executions