Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
(DOLS) A framework introduced in 2009 under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007) to protect the rights of adult patients who required treatment in a hospital or care home in conditions that might amount to a deprivation of liberty but were incapable of giving consent to these restrictions (see incompetent patient).

The safeguards were introduced to close the legal loophole known as the Bournewood gap, following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that the rights of patients in these circumstances had been violated (HL v UK App (2004) 40 EHRR 761). Following the Supreme Court decision in Cheshire West and Chester Council v P [2014] UKSC 19, which had the effect of a tenfold rise in deprivation of liberty cases, the DOLS framework was replaced with the current Liberty Protection Safeguards.

• sexual penetration of a corpse
• sex with an adult relative
• SFO
• shadow director
• sham marriage
• sham plea
• sham transaction
• sham trust
• share
• share capital
• share certificate
• share option
• share premium
• share transfer
• share warrant
• SHAs
• sheriff
• sheriff’s interpleader
• shifting use
• ship
• shipwreck
• shock
• shoplifting
• short cause list
• short notice