An office of the High Court, with power to make decisions in relation to the property and affairs, health care and personal welfare of adults (and children in a few cases) who lack mental capacity to make these decisions for themselves. The Court also has the power to make declarations about whether someone has capacity to make a particular decision. The Court of Protection (COP) has the same powers, rights, privileges and authority in relation to mental capacity matters as the High Court. The COP also has the authority to appoint someone to make decisions on an ongoing basis for a person who lacks mental capacity to do so for themselves. This person is called a Deputy.
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.
