ABSTRACT
With the example above, it can be demonstrated how law, ethics, and clinical practice are intertwined. For example, when Janet and Monique began attending sessions, the legal question arose as to who signs the informed consent to therapy for treatment of a minor in the case of joint
legal custody. What if a parent refuses to give consent and a minor could benet from therapy or it is clear it is in his or her best interest? What are the clinical and ethical implications of not including the other parent in therapy? Couple and family therapists then encounter an ethical and legal dilemma of whether to suspend treatment until permission from both parents is obtained or to treat the child with permission of only one parent.
