J.M. v. State

178 S.W.3d 185
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 7, 2005
DocketNos. 01-05-00146-CV, 01-05-00147-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by53 cases

This text of 178 S.W.3d 185 (J.M. v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
J.M. v. State, 178 S.W.3d 185 (Tex. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION

LAURA CARTER HIGLEY, Justice.

In these two accelerated appeals, appellant, J.M., raises three issues challenging the trial court’s separate orders (1) that J.M. be involuntarily committed for temporary inpatient mental health services1 and (2) that she be administered psychoactive medications.2 J.M. contends that the evidence presented by the State at her commitment hearing is legally and factually insufficient to support the findings on which the order for temporary inpatient treatment is based. Concomitantly, J.M. also contends that the trial court’s order to administer psychoactive medication must be reversed because such an order cannot stand unless a proper order for inpatient mental health services is also in place.

Because the evidence was legally insufficient to support the commitment order, we reverse and render judgment in both appeals.

Background

On December 7, 2004, J.M. was brought to the University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital (“UTMB”) in Galveston by her sister, with whom J.M. lived. The sister reported that J.M. suffered from bipolar disorder and that J.M. had not been taking her medication. The sister also reported that J.M. had been aggressive, attempting to kick family members, including some children. According to the sister, J.M. also had threatened suicide. The sister further reported that J.M. had been neglecting her personal hygiene by neither bathing nor brushing her teeth. At that point, J.M. was admitted to UTMB for inpatient care.

On December 21, 2004, Dr. Mireya Silva signed an application for court-ordered temporary mental health services, which was filed with the trial court. As applicant, Dr. Silva requested the trial court to involuntarily commit J.M. to the Austin State Hospital for a period not to exceed 90 days. The application was supported by two certificates of medical examination: one prepared by Dr. Silva and one by Dr. Waheedul Haque. Both doctors stated that they had examined J.M. and diagnosed her with bipolar disorder and depression with psychotic factors. With regard to the specific factual bases underlying J.M.’s need for commitment, both doctors referred to J.M.’s aggression toward her family and her refusal to take a bath or brush her teeth. Drs. Silva and Haque also stated that, while at UTMB, J.M. refused medication, refused to get out of bed, and remained mute for several days.

J.M.’s commitment hearing was held on December 29, 2004. Dr. Haque testified for the State. He restated his diagnosis that J.M. is mentally ill, suffering from “bipolar disorder mixed with psychotic features.” Dr. Haque testified that his opinion is based on his personal knowledge of J.M. and from her medical records. J.M.’s medical records from her UTMB inpatient stay were also admitted into evidence.

When asked whether J.M. was likely to cause harm to herself, Dr. Haque responded affirmatively. He also responded affirmatively when asked whether J.M. (1) was “suffering from severe and abnormal mental, emotional, or physical distress” and (2) was “experiencing substantial mental or physical deterioration of her ability to [188]*188function independently.” Dr. Haque agreed that J.M.’s “deterioration” was exhibited by her inability to provide “for basic needs like food, clothing, health, or safety.” Dr. Haque also agreed that J.M. was not able “to make a rational and informed decision about whether or not to submit to treatment.”

According to Dr. Haque, J.M. was also a danger to others. Dr. Haque based this opinion on the information provided by J.M.’s sister that J.M. had been violent at home before her admission. Dr. Haque testified that J.M. had not shown any violent, aggressive, or threatening behavior while hospitalized.

Dr. Haque acknowledged that J.M. alleges that the sister who brought her to the hospital was trying to steal from her and had been abusing her. J.M. told Dr. Haque that her family had brought her to the hospital because she would not give them money. Dr. Haque stated that he did not believe J.M., but agreed that it was possible that the allegations against J.M.’s family were true. Dr. Haque also acknowledged that the sister against whom J.M. made the allegations of abuse was the source of much of the information on which he relied regarding J.M.’s mental health history.

J.M. also testified at the commitment hearing. She stated that, for the past 10 years, she had been treated with medication on an outpatient basis for depression and bipolar disorder. She testified that, during that time, she had worked as a nurse and led a normal life. J.M. stated that she had helped her family financially during that time and had made her sister’s car payments. J.M. testified that she had not been working recently but that she was living from her savings. J.M. admitted that she had been previously hospitalized but would not directly admit that it had been for psychiatric care.

J.M. had moved from Houston to La Marque the previous year because her 16-year-old daughter was not doing well in school. J.M. and her daughter lived in her sister’s house along with another sister and both sisters’ children. Once at La Marque High School, her daughter excelled, and J.M. decided to stay in La Marque.

J.M. testified that she paid the utility bills and spent $400 a month on groceries while living in her sister’s home. J.M. also testified that she cooked all the meals and babysat her sister’s daughter while her sister attended school.

J.M. claimed that she never struck any of her family members; rather, J.M. testified that her sister had struck her when J.M. refused to give the sister money. According to J.M., the sister had told her, “Either you give us money or I will have you locked up.” J.M. told the. trial court that she was in the process of finding another place to live with her daughter when she was hospitalized at UTMB.

At the conclusion of the commitment hearing, the trial court, as factfinder, found that J.M. was mentally ill. It also found that J.M. was “likely to cause serious harm to herself and that at this time she is suffering from a mental, emotional, or physical distress and is unable to function independently.” As a result, the trial court signed an “Order For Temporary Inpatient Mental Health Services,” in which the trial court ordered J.M. committed to the Austin State Hospital for a period not to exceed 90 days.

Immediately following the commitment hearing, the trial court conducted a hearing on the State’s application to administer psychoactive medication, which had been filed at the same time as the commitment application. Dr. Haque testified that the administration of psychoactive medication [189]*189was in J.M.’s best interest and was the proper course of treatment for her. According to Dr. Haque, J.M.’s condition would deteriorate if she did not take psychoactive medication. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court signed an “Order to Administer Psychoactive Medication,” providing that certain classes of psychoactive medications could be administered to J.M. for the duration of her temporary commitment.

J.M. appeals both the “Order For Temporary Inpatient Mental Health Services” and the “Order to Administer Psychoactive Medication.”

Appeals from Orders are Not Moot

As a preliminary matter, we discuss our jurisdiction to decide these two appeals. This issue arises because the specified term of both orders — a period not to exceed 90 days — has expired.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 S.W.3d 185, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jm-v-state-texapp-2005.