When a person is subject to the Mental Health Act, many of his or her principal rights are taken away. It is the function of the nearest relative to compensate for that loss. This fully updated second edition explains how the nearest relative is identified, and how in some cases he or she might be displaced. It also contains a wealth of new case examples and illustrative scenarios, providing a succinct discussion of each significant case and incorporating all the very latest changes to the Mental Health Act. The Nearest Relative Handbook will be an invaluable aid to those who find themselves in a professional relationship with a nearest relative, to those who are or wish to be a nearest relative and to anyone needing to make sense of the relevant statutory provisions.