(1)Hearings before the court
pursuant to section 27-65-108.5, 27-65-109, or 27-65-110 are conducted in the
same manner as other civil proceedings before the court. The burden of proof is on
the person or facility seeking to detain the respondent. The court or jury shall
determine that the respondent is in need of care and treatment only if the court or
jury finds by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent has a mental health
disorder and, as a result of the mental health disorder, is a danger to the
respondent's self or others or is gravely disabled.
(2)The court, after consultation with respondent's counsel to obtain
counsel's recommendations, may appoint a professional person to examine the
respondent for whom short-term treatment or long-term care and treatment is
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(1) Hearings before the court
pursuant to section 27-65-108.5, 27-65-109, or 27-65-110 are conducted in the
same manner as other civil proceedings before the court. The burden of proof is on
the person or facility seeking to detain the respondent. The court or jury shall
determine that the respondent is in need of care and treatment only if the court or
jury finds by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent has a mental health
disorder and, as a result of the mental health disorder, is a danger to the
respondent's self or others or is gravely disabled.
(2) The court, after consultation with respondent's counsel to obtain
counsel's recommendations, may appoint a professional person to examine the
respondent for whom short-term treatment or long-term care and treatment is
sought and to testify at the hearing before the court as to the results of the
professional person's examination. The court-appointed professional person shall
act solely in an advisory capacity, and no presumption is attached to the
professional person's findings.
(3) Every respondent subject to an order for short-term treatment or long-term care and treatment must be advised of the respondent's right to appeal the
order by the court at the conclusion of any hearing and, as a result, the order may
be entered.
(4) The court in which the petition is filed under section 27-65-106 or the
certification is filed pursuant to section 27-65-109 is the court of original
jurisdiction and of continuing jurisdiction for any further proceedings pursuant to
this article 65. When the convenience of the parties and the ends of justice would
be promoted by a change in the court having jurisdiction, the court may order a
transfer of the proceeding to another county. Until further order of the transferee
court, if any, it is the court of continuing jurisdiction.
(5) (a) In the event that a respondent or a person found not guilty by reason
of impaired mental condition pursuant to section 16-8-103.5 (5), or by reason of
insanity pursuant to section 16-8-105 (4) or 16-8-105.5, refuses to accept
medication, the court having jurisdiction of the action pursuant to subsection (4) of
this section; the court committing the person or defendant to the custody of the
department pursuant to section 16-8-103.5 (5), 16-8-105 (4), or 16-8-105.5; or the
court of the jurisdiction in which the designated facility treating the respondent or
person is located has jurisdiction and venue to accept a petition by a treating
physician and to enter an order requiring that the respondent or person accept such
treatment or, in the alternative, that the medication be forcibly administered to the
respondent or person. The court of the jurisdiction in which the designated facility
is located shall not exercise its jurisdiction without the permission of the court that
committed the person to the custody of the department. Upon the filing of such a
petition, the court shall appoint an attorney, if one has not been appointed, to
represent the respondent or person and hear the matter within ten days.
(b) In any case brought pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section in a court
for the county in which the treating facility is located, the county where the
proceeding was initiated pursuant to subsection (4) of this section or the court
committing the person to the custody of the department pursuant to section 16-8-103.5 (5), 16-8-105 (4), or 16-8-105.5 shall either reimburse the county in which the
proceeding pursuant to this subsection (5) was filed and in which the proceeding
was held for the reasonable costs incurred in conducting the proceeding or conduct
the proceeding itself using its own personnel and resources, including its own
district or county attorney, as the case may be.
(c) In the case of a defendant who is found incompetent to proceed pursuant
to section 16-8.5-103 and who refuses to accept medication, the jurisdiction for the
petition for involuntary treatment procedures is as set forth in section 16-8.5-112.
(6) All adversarial proceedings pursuant to this article 65, including
proceedings to impose a legal disability pursuant to section 27-65-127, must be
conducted by the district attorney of the county where the proceeding is held or by
a qualified attorney acting for the district attorney appointed by the district court
for that purpose; except that, in any county or in any city and county having a
population exceeding fifty thousand persons, the proceedings must be conducted
by the county attorney or by a qualified attorney acting for the county attorney
appointed by the district court. In any case in which there has been a change of
venue to a county other than the county of residence of the respondent or the
county in which the certification proceeding was commenced, the county from
which the proceeding was transferred shall either reimburse the county to which
the proceeding was transferred and in which the proceeding was held for the
reasonable costs incurred in conducting the proceeding or conduct the proceeding
itself using its own personnel and resources, including its own district or county
attorney, as the case may be.
(7) Upon request of a legal guardian appointed pursuant to article 14 of title
15, the legal guardian may intervene in any proceeding brought pursuant to this
article 65 concerning the legal guardian's ward and, through counsel, may present
evidence and represent to the court the views of the legal guardian concerning the
appropriate disposition of the case.
(8) A lay person may submit an affidavit to the court concerning the lay
person's relationship to the respondent, how long the lay person has known the
respondent, the lay person's physical address, and the lay person's views
concerning the appropriate disposition of the respondent's case.