Title: IN RE MILLER
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 13718
State: Montana
Issuer: Montana Supreme Court
Date: December 22, 1977

No. 13718 IN THE SUPREbE COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA IN RE: THE MATTER OF HERBERT MILLER. Appeal from: District Court of the Third Judicial District, Honorable Robert Boyd, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: James Dorr Johnson argued, Warm Springs, Montana Steven Bunch, Helena, Montana For Respondent: Mark P.Sullivan argued, Butte, Montana Nick A. Rotering, Helena, Montana ~iled: DEC 22 1977 Submitted: November 28, 1977 ?cr 2~ . - Decided: - i u . M r . Justice John Conway Harrison delivered the Opinion of the Court. This appeal results from proceedings pursuant t o section 38-1312, R.C.M. 1947. The d i s t r i c t court, Deer Lodge County, the Hon. Robert Boyd presiding, found Herbert Miller t o be seriously mentally ill and ordered an extension of h i s commit- ment period a t Warm Springs State Hospital for s i x additional months. Miller was f i r s t committed t o Warm Springs i n 1956. The . reason for admission was given a s acharge of homicide. Miller was l a s t committed to Warm Springs by court order on January 9, 1957. Section 38-1312, R.C.M. 1947, requires that any person who, by reason of a judicial decree, was adjudged mentally ill prior t o the enactment of T i t l e 38, Chapter 13, shall, within one year following the effective date of the a c t be released, unless a petition for an extended detention order is filed. The required petition was f i l e d by Warm Springs s t a f f psychologist Katherine Gallagher on June 29, 1976. Miller had been under the care and supervision of psychologist Gallagher prior t o the f i l i n g of the petition. The petition was accom- panied by a written report and evaluation of h i s mental and physical condition a s required by section 38-1306(6) (now 38- 1306(3), by 1977 amendment), R.C.M. 1947, compiled by psycholo- g i s t Gallagher. Upon application of counsel for Miller, Judge Boyd appointed D r . Ben Peters, a psychia trist from Anaconda, Montana, t o inde- pendently evaluate him. The hearing pursuant t o the petition was held on December 3, 1976. Psychologist Gallagher was the sole witness t o testify. A t the beginning of the hearing, counsel for Miller moved to s t r i k e the psychologist' report from the court f i l e on the grounds it constituted hearsay evidence. The District Court denied the motion. Counsel additionally asserted the psychologist/patient privilege under section 66-3212, R.C.M. 1947, a s a bar to the testimony of psychologist Gallagher. That motion was likewise denied. A t the conclusion of the hearing, the District Court con- cluded Miller was "seriously mentally ill" and ordered h i s detention a t Warm Springs be extended for an additional s i x months, Miller appeals. \ The issues raised and arguments advanced on appeal by Miller a r e identical t o those considered i n the companion case In the Matter of Curtis Sonsteng ( t h i s Court's No. 13719, decided December , , 1977), and reference is made thereto. W e find no need t o repeat our prior holdings and discussion of the relevant procedures and legal principles a s found i n Sonsteng. The order of the District Court is affirmed. W e Concur: Justices.