Court of Protection usually deals with matters where vulnerable people require representation in order to manage their property and affairs and/or their care and welfare. The Court of Protection make decisions on financial or welfare matters for people who cannot make decisions at the time that they need to be made because they lack mental capacity. This could be due to a number of factors or conditions such as brain injury, illness, clinical negligence or age-related issues.
The Court of protection are responsible for:
· deciding whether someone has the mental capacity to make a particular decision for themselves
· appointing deputies to make ongoing decisions for people who lack mental capacity
· giving people permission to make one-off decisions on behalf of someone else who lacks mental capacity
· handling urgent or emergency applications where a decision must be made on behalf of someone else without delay
· making decisions about a lasting power of attorney or enduring power of attorney and considering any objections to their registration
· considering applications to make statutory wills or gifts
· making decisions about when someone can be deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act
