The clinical activities of professionals in the general hospital often encompass aspects of legal decision-making. These decisions involve therapeutic actions towards patients, performed in the context of statutes, regulations and judicial rulings in various jurisdictions. Clinicians are, in fact, making such decisions, many of which have profound legal and ethical implications, without sufficient background in these areas. The principal purpose of this book is to present relevant background material on these matters so that clinicians can make better informed decisions.