In re State

556 S.W.3d 821
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedApril 27, 2018
DocketNo. 16–0829
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 556 S.W.3d 821 (In re State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re State, 556 S.W.3d 821 (Tex. 2018).

Opinion

Justice Lehrmann delivered the opinion of the Court.

*822The overarching issue in this mandamus is whether the relator, designated a sexually violent predator and civilly committed pursuant to the Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act, was entitled to appointed counsel in proceedings on the State's motion to amend his civil commitment order to conform to the Act's 2015 amendments. Among other things, the amended Act requires commitment to a tiered treatment program that includes the possibility of "total confinement," while the Act's previous version provided for outpatient treatment only. The trial court denied the relator's request for counsel and, after a hearing, entered an amended commitment order. The court of appeals granted mandamus relief to the relator, ordering the trial court to vacate its orders and appoint counsel to represent the relator in further proceedings on the State's motion. We hold that the court of appeals abused its discretion and conditionally grant the State's petition for writ of mandamus.

I. Legal and Factual Background

A. The Act and 2015 Amendments

Enacted in 1999 and codified in Texas Health and Safety Code chapter 841, the Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act enumerates a "civil commitment procedure for the long-term supervision and treatment of sexually violent predators" (SVPs) upon completion of their criminal sentence. TEX. HEALTH & SAFETY CODE § 841.001.1 The Act applies to individuals with a "behavioral abnormality that is not amenable to traditional mental illness treatment modalities and that makes the [individuals] likely to engage in repeated predatory acts of sexual violence." Id. The Texas Civil Commitment Office is the agency responsible for "providing appropriate and necessary treatment and supervision" and "developing and implementing a sex offender treatment program" for committed persons. Id. § 841.007.2

Broadly, the Act may be broken down in pertinent part as follows. Subchapter B provides a procedure for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to refer a potential SVP to the state's attorney, who may file a petition under Subchapter C alleging SVP status. Id. §§ 841.021-.023, .041. Subchapter D governs the SVP trial, which the judge "shall" conduct (1) within 270 days after the date the petition is served on the person and (2) "not later than the person's sentence discharge date." Id. § 841.061(a). The judge (or jury, if demanded) "shall determine whether, beyond a reasonable doubt, the person is a sexually violent predator."Id. §§ 841.061(b), .062(a).3

*823Subchapter E governs the civil commitment of a person adjudicated an SVP under Subchapter D, commencing with the judge's entry of an order "commit[ting] the person for treatment and supervision to be coordinated by the [O]ffice." Id. § 841.081(a). It also mandates that the judge impose several requirements "to ensure the person's compliance with treatment and supervision and to protect the community." Id. § 841.082(a). These include, among others, requirements that the person reside where instructed, participate in and comply with treatment provided by the Office, and submit to appropriate supervision, including tracking under certain circumstances. Id. § 841.082(a)(1), (3), (4).4 The Office is then responsible for determining the conditions of supervision and treatment and for entering into contracts for the provision of any necessary supervised housing, medical and mental health services, and sex offender treatment. Id. § 841.083.

Subchapter F requires a biennial expert examination of a person committed under Subchapter E, accompanied by a judicial review of the person's status. Id. §§ 841.101, .102(a). The judge "shall set a hearing" if he or she determines at the biennial review that a requirement imposed on a committed person should be modified or that "probable cause exists to believe that the person's behavioral abnormality has changed to the extent that the person is no longer likely to engage in a predatory act of sexual violence." Id. § 841.102(c). Finally, Subchapter G governs a committed person's petition for release from civil commitment, including the circumstances under which a judge must set a hearing on such a petition. See id. §§ 841.121-.124.5

The Act requires appointment of counsel to represent an indigent person subject to a civil commitment proceeding under chapter 841. Id. § 841.005. A "civil commitment proceeding" is statutorily defined as "a trial or hearing conducted under Subchapter D, F, or G." Id. § 841.002(3-a). Thus, the Act mandates the assistance of counsel, including appointed counsel for indigent persons, at three stages of the proceedings. First, when a petition alleging a person is an SVP is initially filed, the person is "[i]mmediately" entitled to counsel "at all stages of the [Subchapter D] proceeding." Id. § 841.144(a). Second, a committed person is entitled to counsel at each biennial review under Subchapter F. Id. § 841.102(b). Third, assistance of counsel is required at a hearing conducted on a person's petition for release from civil commitment under Subchapter G. Id. §§ 841.002(3-a), .005.

Before the 2015 amendments, the Act required the judge to commit a person determined to be an SVP for "outpatient treatment and supervision." Act of May 31, 1999, 76th Leg., R.S., ch. 1188, § 4.01, 1999 Tex. Gen. Laws 4143, 4147, amended by Act of May 21, 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., ch. 845, § 12, 2015 Tex. Gen. Laws 2701, 2706. This included requiring the person "to reside in a Texas residential facility under contract with the office or at another location or facility approved by the office." Act of May 24, 2005, 79th Leg., R.S., ch. 849, § 3, 2005 Tex. Gen. Laws 2890, 2891, amended by Act of May 26, 2011, 82d Leg., R.S., ch. 1201, § 8, 2011 Tex. Gen. Laws 3197, 3201. The Act also imposed severe criminal penalties for violations of treatment requirements and other conditions imposed in a commitment order. See *824In re Commitment of Fisher , 164 S.W.3d 637, 652 (Tex. 2005) (noting that the "Texas SVP scheme is unique in that it provides for outpatient commitment and, perhaps consequently, imposes severe criminal penalties for violating a condition of confinement").

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Bluebook (online)
556 S.W.3d 821, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-state-tex-2018.