Increasing involvement of psychiatrists in legal issues seems inevitable. As the courts are being asked to resolve more and more social conflicts, they have understandably sought the assistance of specialists who allegedly bring expertise and prestige to the decision-making process. While psychiatrists can sometimes help the courts make more informed decisions, there is good reason to question whether much of current psychiatric involvement in legal issues serves a useful social purpose. Psychiatrists are also spending more time in the courtroom defending certain treatments of patients that had never before been questioned. The validity of attacks on certain psychiatric practices and the potential long-term effects on the treatment of patients must be reappraised in terms of current social conditions.