Title: In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of P.D.
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 
State: new-jersey
Issuer: new-jersey Supreme Court
Date: August 11, 2020

In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of P.D. Annotate this Case Justia Opinion Summary In August 2017, the State filed a petition to civilly commit P.D., relying on P.D.’s conviction for an offense that qualified as a “sexually violent offense” as defined in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26, and other offenses. The State submitted two clinical certificates from psychiatrists who opined that P.D. suffered from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that made him “likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined to a secure facility for control, care and treatment.” The trial court entered an order temporarily civilly committing P.D. to the Special Treatment Unit. P.D. waived his right under the SVPA to a court hearing within twenty days of the court’s temporary commitment order. P.D. thereafter filed a motion to compel discovery, which the trial court denied. The court found no support for P.D.’s contention that a person facing an SVPA commitment hearing could seek discovery under the general civil discovery rule, Rule 4:10-1, or other rules governing civil cases. The Appellate Division denied P.D.’s motion for leave to appeal the trial court’s decision. Finding no reversible error in the trial or appellate court orders, the New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed. Read more Want to stay in the know about new opinions from the Supreme Court of New Jersey? Sign up for free summaries delivered directly to your inbox. Learn More › You already receive new opinion summaries from Supreme Court of New Jersey. Did you know we offer summary newsletters for even more practice areas and jurisdictions? Explore them here .This syllabus is not part of the Court’s opinion. It has been prepared by the Office of the Clerk for the convenience of the reader. It has been neither reviewed nor approved by the Court. In the interest of brevity, portions of an opinion may not have been summarized. In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of P.D. (A-94-18) (083027)Argued January 7, 2020 -- Decided August 11, 2020 -- Revised September 9, 2020PATTERSON, J., writing for the Court. In this appeal, the Court considers whether the State must provide discovery to a person facing civil commitment under the New Jersey Sexually Violent Predator Act (SVPA), N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.24 to -27.38. In August 2017, the State filed a petition to civilly commit P.D., relying on P.D.’s conviction for an offense that qualified as a “sexually violent offense” as defined in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26, and other offenses. The State submitted two clinical certificates from psychiatrists who opined that P.D. suffered from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that made him “likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined to a secure facility for control, care and treatment.” The trial court entered an order temporarily civilly committing P.D. to the Special Treatment Unit. P.D. waived his right under the SVPA to a court hearing within twenty days of the court’s temporary commitment order. Relying on Rule 4:10-1, which enumerates the discovery devices available in civil cases, and Rules 4:17 and 4:18, the general civil court rules governing interrogatories and requests for discovery and inspection of documents, P.D.’s counsel propounded interrogatories to the State. The State, which had provided documents to P.D. in accordance with its standard practice in SVPA proceedings, declined to answer the interrogatories or produce documents in response to P.D.’s request. P.D. filed a motion to compel discovery, which the trial court denied. The court found no support for P.D.’s contention that a person facing an SVPA commitment hearing may seek discovery under the general civil discovery rule, Rule 4:10-1, or other rules governing civil cases. The Appellate Division denied P.D.’s motion for leave to appeal the trial court’s decision. The Court granted leave to appeal. 238 N.J. 503 (2019).HELD: A person facing a civil commitment hearing under the SVPA may not take discovery under Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, or Rule 4:18-1. The discovery permitted by 1 those rules is not authorized by the SVPA and cannot be accomplished on the expedited schedule that the statute prescribes. However, based on the terms of the SVPA, a person subject to an SVPA civil commitment hearing is entitled to limited discovery focused on the elements of the State’s burden of proof. The Court therefore adopts a new court rule in which it enumerates the categories of documents subject to discovery in an SVPA proceeding and sets forth the requirements for the reports of the State’s experts.1. The SVPA imposes on the State the burden to prove three elements by clear and convincing evidence: (1) that the individual has been convicted of a sexually violent offense; (2) that he suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder; and (3) that as a result of his psychiatric abnormality or disorder, it is highly likely that the individual will not control his or her sexually violent behavior and will reoffend. The State’s expert testimony and the risk assessment instruments on which the experts rely comprise the core of the State’s proofs in a typical SVPA civil commitment hearing and are often the pivotal proofs on the question whether the individual is highly likely to offend again. (pp. 10-17)2. As N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29 and -27.30 make clear, the Legislature intended that our courts conduct SVPA civil commitment hearings expeditiously. The parties to an SVPA commitment hearing cannot proceed under Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, and Rule 4:18-1, let alone use the other forms of discovery allowed under the civil rules, without delaying the hearing for months or even years. Accordingly, P.D. is not entitled to discovery under the civil discovery rules. The Court concurs with P.D. that Rule 4:74-7 does not govern civil commitment proceedings under the SVPA. The limited discovery available under Rule 4:74-7 is focused on the terms of the general civil commitment statute, not that of the SVPA, and the Rule was not amended after the SVPA was enacted to apply to that statute. (pp. 18-20)3. Although a person facing an SVPA civil commitment hearing may not obtain discovery pursuant to the civil discovery rules, the Court considers limited and expeditious sharing of information by the State to be essential to the person’s meaningful exercise of the “right to present evidence” and “right to cross-examine witnesses” in defense of the State’s application for civil commitment, as guaranteed by N.J.S.A. 30:4- 27.31(c) and (d). The Court views the State’s pre-hearing discovery obligation to consist of the exchange of two categories of information: (1) the production of documents in its possession, custody or control relating to the history and treatment of the person whose civil commitment is at issue; and (2) the service of expert reports that fully disclose the basis for the expert’s opinion regarding the person’s mental abnormality or personality disorder and the likelihood that the person will reoffend. (pp. 20-21)4. The State represented that shortly after it initiates a proceeding for civil commitment pursuant to the SVPA, it immediately produces all documents in its possession relating to the person’s criminal history, incarceration, treatment, and the basis for civil 2 commitment. In combination with disclosures concerning the State’s experts, those enumerated categories of documents enable a person facing an SVPA commitment hearing to present evidence and counter the State’s proofs. Those documents go to the heart of the State’s burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence. (pp. 21-22)5. The State’s experts’ reports should fully disclose the substance and foundation of the expert’s opinion in advance of the hearing, and, in combination with the expert’s CV, should set forth the expert’s qualifications to render the opinion. The report should contain a complete statement of the expert’s opinion regarding the need for civil commitment, and the basis for that opinion. The expert should state any diagnosis relevant to the opinion and explain the basis for each diagnosis. If the expert has utilized a risk assessment instrument that has been deemed reliable and admissible in a decision by this Court or the Appellate Division, the report need not generally establish the reliability of that risk assessment instrument. However, the expert must identify any risk assessment instrument used in the evaluation, address any relevant static and dynamic factors, and summarize any findings with respect to the likelihood that the person will reoffend. An individual subject to civil commitment who contends that the State’s expert report is deficient may challenge that report under the net opinion rule or other relevant grounds. (pp. 22-23)6. In a given case, discovery other than the discovery described above must be sought in a motion filed with the trial court on notice to the State, on a showing of exceptional circumstances. The court, in its discretion, may enter an order granting or denying the person’s application to take such additional discovery. (pp. 23-24)7. The Court exercises its rulemaking authority to promulgate a rule limited to pre- hearing discovery by the individual subject to civil commitment under the SVPA as discussed above, effective thirty days after the date of this decision. (pp. 24-26) The trial court’s decision is AFFIRMED, and the matter is REMANDED to the trial court.CHIEF JUSTICE RABNER and JUSTICES LaVECCHIA, ALBIN, FERNANDEZ- VINA, SOLOMON, and TIMPONE join in JUSTICE PATTERSON’s opinion. 3 SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY A- 94 September Term 2018 083027 In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of P.D. On appeal from the Superior Court, Appellate Division . Argued Decided Revised January 7, 2020 August 11, 2020 September 9, 2020 Susan Remis Silver, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, argued the cause on behalf of appellant P.D. (Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, attorney; Susan Remis Silver, on the briefs). Stephen Slocum, Deputy Attorney General, argued the cause on behalf of respondent State of New Jersey (Gurbir S. Grewal, Attorney General, attorney; Melissa H. Raksa, Assistant Attorney General, of counsel, and Stephen Slocum, on the briefs). Karen Thompson argued the cause on behalf of amicus curiae American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey Foundation, attorneys; Karen Thompson, Alexander Shalom, and Jeanne LoCicero, on the brief). JUSTICE PATTERSON delivered the opinion of the Court. 1 In this appeal, the Court considers whether the State must providediscovery to a person facing civil commitment under the New Jersey SexuallyViolent Predator Act (SVPA), N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.24 to -27.38. Appellant P.D., whom the State seeks to civilly commit under the SVPA,served interrogatories on the State and requested documents in accordancewith Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, and Rule 4:18-1 -- court rules that governdiscovery in civil proceedings generally. The State, which had provideddocuments to P.D. in accordance with its standard practice in SVPAproceedings, declined to answer the interrogatories or produce documents inresponse to P.D.’s request. P.D. filed a motion to compel discovery. The trialjudge denied the motion, and the Appellate Division denied P.D.’s motion forleave to appeal. We granted leave to appeal and affirm the trial judge’s determination.We agree with the trial judge that a person facing a civil commitment hearingunder the SVPA may not take discovery under Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, orRule 4:18-1. The discovery permitted by those rules is not authorized by theSVPA and cannot be accomplished on the expedited schedule that the statuteprescribes. We hold, however, that based on the terms of the SVPA, a personsubject to an SVPA civil commitment hearing is entitled to limited discovery 2 focused on the elements of the State’s burden of proof. We therefore adopt anew court rule in which we enumerate the categories of documents subject todiscovery in an SVPA proceeding and set forth the requirements for the reportsof the State’s experts. I. A. 1. On August 18, 2017, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.28(c), the State filed apetition to civilly commit P.D., a forty-eight-year-old inmate at Northern StatePrison. In its petition, the State relied on P.D.’s conviction for an offense thatqualified as a “sexually violent offense” as defined in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26:P.D.’s 2009 conviction for second-degree sexual assault by force or coercionwith no serious injury, contrary to N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(c)(1), in which the victimwas the fifteen-year-old daughter of P.D.’s girlfriend. The State also relied onP.D.’s 2005 conviction for third-degree endangering the welfare of a child,contrary to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, in which the victim was P.D.’s fourteen-year-olddaughter; a 1993 charge of aggravated sexual assault with a weapon, contraryto N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)(4), that was dismissed as part of a plea agreement; andtwo non-sexual offenses. 3 Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.28(c), the State submitted two clinicalcertificates, each prepared by a psychiatrist who had evaluated P.D. Bothpsychiatrists opined that P.D. suffered from a mental abnormality orpersonality disorder that made him “likely to engage in acts of sexual violenceif not confined to a secure facility for control, care and treatment.” On August 28, 2017, the trial court entered an order temporarily civillycommitting P.D. to the Special Treatment Unit (STU). The court appointedthe Office of the Public Defender to represent P.D. and ordered that the Public Defender shall have the right to inspect and copy all records relating to [P.D.’s] criminal history, psychiatric history, care and treatment, and mental abnormality including the full clinical record from the agency with jurisdiction, the short-term care facility, special psychiatric hospital, psychiatric facility, or institution where the individual was confined and the State of New Jersey Special Treatment Unit, on notice to the Office of the Attorney General and the facility from which the records are sought . . . . The court scheduled a final hearing on “the issue of the continuing needfor [P.D.’s] involuntary commitment as a sexually violent predator” forSeptember 18, 2017. 2. Following his temporary civil commitment, P.D. “knowingly andvoluntarily” waived his right under the SVPA to a court hearing within twenty 4 days of the court’s temporary commitment order and consented to a hearingdate beyond the twenty-day period. According to P.D.’s counsel’scertification, P.D. and his counsel decided to submit interrogatories to preparefor depositions “as to [the State’s experts’] reasons for concluding that P.D.required commitment under the SVPA.” Relying on Rule 4:10-1, which enumerates the discovery devicesavailable in civil cases, and Rules 4:17 and 4:18, the general civil court rulesgoverning interrogatories and requests for discovery and inspection ofdocuments, P.D.’s counsel propounded interrogatories to the State. Theinterrogatories sought (1) identification of the State’s fact and expertwitnesses; (2) a summary of the facts to which any fact witness for the Statewould testify; (3) information about the State’s expert witnesses, including adetailed description of each expert’s qualifications, a list and copies of all theexpert’s publications, a summary of “the substance and conclusions as towhich” each expert was expected to testify and “the bases for each suchconclusion and opinion,” identification of all documents relied on by eachexpert in forming the opinion, and copies of any reports or documents preparedby or on behalf of each such expert “for this suit”; (4) copies of “all materialsgiven to employees and consultants for the State for the purpose of conductingforensic evaluations,” including but not limited to manuals, policies and 5 procedures and training materials for conducting evaluations; (5) disclosure of“any process of review either formal or informal that occurs after the evaluatorhas completed his or her report but before the report is released ,” includingfive enumerated categories of information on such a review process; (6)information about each expert’s risk assessment methods, including the sourceof the method, any testing of the method, copies of all studies in which themethod was tested, the peer-review status of any such study, the known rate oferror for the method and how the error rate was derived, and, if the methodinvolves discretion by the expert, any standards that guide or control theexercise of that discretion; (7) identification by initials of “all residents . . .who have been released from the [STU] since its inception in 1999 to thecommunity,” with each resident’s date of temporary commitment, civilcommitment and discharge, details about the discharge of each resident,information about each resident’s treatment at the STU, and information as towhether the State consented to a court order ordering discharge planning forthat resident; (8) for each resident released from the STU since 1999,identification of the State’s experts who produced reports for the courthearings at which the individual was discharged and two preceding hearings,and a statement of each expert’s conclusion on risk and the individual’s phaseof treatment at the time of each expert’s report; and (9) identification by 6 initials of any resident released from the STU since 1999 who was returned tothe STU, with detailed information as to the reasons for any such resident’sreturn. The State advised P.D. that it did not intend to answer hisinterrogatories. B. 1. P.D. filed a motion to compel discovery, arguing that Rule 4:10-1applies in civil commitment proceedings under the SVPA, and that he wasentitled to propound interrogatories and seek other forms of discovery pursuantto that rule. The State opposed the motion, arguing that -- consistent with theexpedited schedule for SVPA commitment hearings -- it has provided specificcategories of documents, not general responses to discovery, during the twentyyears in which the SVPA has been in effect. The trial court denied P.D.’s motion to compel discovery. It observedthat when the Legislature enumerated the rights of persons subject toinvoluntary commitment under the SVPA, see N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.31, it did notinclude a right to pre-hearing discovery. The trial court noted that counsel forindividuals subject to SVPA commitment routinely conduct effective cross-examination of the State’s experts without the benefit of broad discovery. 7 The trial court stated that Rule 4:74-7(d) strictly limits the right todiscovery in civil commitment proceedings pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.1to -27.11, and that those proceedings, like civil commitment under the SVPA,must be conducted on an expedited basis. It found no support for P.D.’scontention that a person facing an SVPA commitment hearing may seekdiscovery under the general civil discovery rule, Rule 4:10-1, or other rulesgoverning civil cases. Finally, the trial court addressed the particularlyonerous burden that would be imposed if the State were compelled to respondto P.D.’s inquiries about SVPA commitment proceedings other than his own. 2. P.D. moved for leave to appeal the trial court’s decision. The AppellateDivision denied his motion. 3. P.D. filed a motion for leave to appeal before this Court. We grantedleave to appeal, 238 N.J. 503 (2019), and granted the application of theAmerican Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU) to participate asamicus curiae. 8 II. A. P.D. contends that persons subject to SVPA commitment proceedingshave the same right as other civil litigants to invoke the general civil discoveryrules. He asserts that Rule 4:74-7 applies only to general civil commitmenthearings under N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.12, not to SVPA commitment hearings, andthat Rules 4:10-1 and -2 thus govern SVPA commitment hearings. P.D. arguesthat he is entitled to explore the bases for the State’s experts’ opinions byserving interrogatories and requesting documents. P.D. contends that he has aparticularly pressing need for the discovery because he faces his initial civilcommitment hearing, not an annual review hearing, and he must understandwhy the State seeks commitment in order to have a realistic chance ofdefeating the State’s application. B. The State counters that no right to take discovery in accordance with thecivil discovery rules has been recognized in the thousands of initial and annualreview commitment hearings conducted pursuant to the SVPA over more thantwo decades. At oral argument, counsel for the State explained that as soon asa petition for civil commitment under the SVPA is filed, the State immediatelyprovides the subject of that petition and counsel all documents relating to the 9 person’s criminal history, the person’s incarceration, any treatment provided tothe person, and the basis for the State’s application for the person’s civilcommitment. The State also represents that promptly after an expert for theState completes the expert report, the State discloses to the person and counselthat report and the expert’s curriculum vitae (CV). The State argues that itthus expeditiously affords all persons facing civil commitment hearings thematerials relevant to the issues to be determined in those hearings. C. Amicus curiae ACLU argues that the State’s interest in protecting thepublic from sexually violent predators does not outweigh the due processinterests of a person facing civil commitment and contends that P.D. has aconstitutional right to full discovery under Rule 4:10-1. It notes that althoughthe Legislature did not prescribe a right to discovery when it enacted theSVPA, it did not prohibit discovery. The ACLU reasons that because theSVPA affords to persons subject to commitment the right to present evidence,it must afford them the right to collect evidence through discovery. III. A. The trial court’s decision denying the discovery sought by P.D. waspremised on its interpretation of the SVPA. We review that legal 10 determination de novo. In re Civil Commitment of D.Y., 218 N.J. 359, 373(2014); Manalapan Realty, L.P. v. Twp. Comm. of Manalapan, 140 N.J. 366,378 (1995). B. When it enacted the SVPA in 1998, the Legislature recognized that theexisting statutory scheme for civil commitment was inadequate to address thecommitment of sexually violent predators. D.Y., 218 N.J. at 380 (citing N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.25(b)). It found that “[t]he nature of the mental conditionfrom which a sexually violent predator may suffer may not always lend itselfto characterization under the existing statutory standard, although civilcommitment may nonetheless be warranted due to the danger the person maypose to others as a result of the mental condition.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.25(b).The Legislature found it “necessary to modify the involuntary civilcommitment process in recognition of the need for commitment of thosesexually violent predators who pose a danger to others should they be returnedto society.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.25(c). The Legislature prescribed a streamlined process for SVPA civilcommitment. Under the SVPA provision that the State invoked in this case,the Attorney General may seek the civil commitment of an inmate “scheduledfor release upon expiration of a maximum term of incarceration by submission 11 to the court of two clinical certificates for a sexually violent predator, at leastone of which is prepared by a psychiatrist.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.28(c). “[T]hecourt shall immediately review” the documents submitted “in order todetermine whether there is probable cause to believe that the person is asexually violent predator.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.28(f). If, as in this matter, thecourt finds “probable cause to believe that the person is a sexually violentpredator in need of involuntary commitment,” it must set a date for a finalhearing and temporarily commit the person at issue to a “secure facilitydesignated for the custody, care and treatment of sexually violent predatorspending the final hearing.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.28(g). When a court enters an order of temporary commitment under N.J.S.A.30:4-27.28, it schedules “a court hearing with respect to the issue ofcontinuing need for involuntary commitment as a sexually violent predatorwithin 20 days from the date of the temporary commitment order.” N.J.S.A.30:4-27.29(a). The SVPA requires the State to provide notice of that hearingto the person subject to civil commitment, “the person’s guardian if any, theperson’s next-of-kin, the person’s attorney, the agency with jurisdiction havingcustody of the person and any other individual specified by the court.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.30(a). The witnesses at the hearing must include “[a]psychiatrist on the person’s treatment team who has conducted a personal 12 examination of the person” no more than five days before the hearing ; thatpsychiatrist “shall testify at the hearing to the clinical basis for the need forinvoluntary commitment as a sexually violent predator.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.30(b). “Other members of the person’s treatment team and any otherwitness with relevant information . . . shall also be permitted to testify at thehearing.” Ibid. A person committed under the SVPA “shall be afforded an annual courtreview hearing of the need for involuntary commitment as a sexually violentpredator.” N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.35. The annual review hearing, like the initialhearing, is conducted in accordance with N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.30. Ibid. N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.31 confers on a person subject to involuntarycommitment as a sexually violent predator the following rights at the courthearing: a. The right to be represented by counsel or, if indigent, by appointed counsel; b. The right to be present at the court hearing unless the court determines that because of the person’s conduct at the court hearing the proceeding cannot reasonably continue while the person is present; c. The right to present evidence; d. The right to cross-examine witnesses; and e. The right to a hearing in camera. [ N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.31(a) to (e).] 13 At the hearing, the court must determine whether the person at issue is a“sexually violent predator” for purposes of the SVPA. The Legislature definedthe term “sexually violent predator” to denote a person who has been convicted, adjudicated delinquent or found not guilty by reason of insanity for commission of a sexually violent offense, or has been charged with a sexually violent offense but found to be incompetent to stand trial, and suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for control, care and treatment. [N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26.] The Legislature defined the phrase “[l]ikely to engage in acts of sexualviolence” to mean that “the propensity of a person to commit acts of sexualviolence is of such a degree as to pose a threat to the health and safety ofothers.” Ibid. Addressing a due process challenge to the SVPA, we held that a personsubject to an SVPA civil commitment proceeding may be considered to “posea threat to the health and safety of others,” as that phrase appears in the SVPA,“if he or she were found, by clear and convincing evidence, to have seriousdifficulty in controlling his or her harmful behavior such that it is highly likelythat the individual will not control his or her sexually violent behavior and will 14 reoffend.” In re Commitment of W.Z., 173 N.J. 109, 130 (2002) (emphasisadded). Thus construed, the SVPA imposes on the State the burden to provethree elements by clear and convincing evidence: (1) that the individual has been convicted of a sexually violent offense; (2) that he suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder; and (3) that as a result of his psychiatric abnormality or disorder, “it is highly likely that the individual will not control his or her sexually violent behavior and will reoffend.” [In re Civil Commitment of R.F., 217 N.J. 152, 173 (2014) (citations omitted) (quoting W.Z., 173 N.J. at 130).] To meet its burden under the SVPA, the State typically presents thetestimony of experts who opine on the likelihood that the person subject tocivil commitment will reoffend. Those experts routinely rely on actuarialassessment instruments, “developed to assess a sex offender’s risk of reoffenseby comparing him or her to the risk characteristics of groups of other sexoffenders monitored for recidivism.” W.Z., 173 N.J. at 133. Those assessmentinstruments “mainly measure static factors,” which “are historical facts aboutthe offender which do not change.” In re Commitment of R.S., 339 N.J. Super. 507, 517 (App. Div. 2001), aff’d 173 N.J. 134, 137 (2002). In contrast,dynamic factors are “elements which can be modified over time.” In re 15 Commitment of J.P., 339 N.J. Super. 443, 451 (App. Div. 2001). As theAppellate Division commented in a decision regarding the Attorney General’ssex-offender classification guidelines for tiering under Megan’s Law, N.J.S.A.2C:7-1 to -23, the Registrant Risk Assessment Scale (RRAS), “[u]nlike theimmutable static factors, nature and seriousness of the offense, the dynamiccategories relate to the characteristics of the offender and community supportand are evidenced by current conditions as found at the time the registrant’srisk to re-offend is assessed.” In re H.M., 343 N.J. Super. 219, 223 (App. Div.2001). Applying the reliability standard of Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013,1014 (D.C. Cir. 1923), we found certain actuarial risk assessment instruments“admissible in evidence in a civil commitment proceeding under the SVPAwhen such tools are used in the formation of the basis for a testifying expert’sopinion concerning the future dangerousness of a sex offender.” In reCommitment of R.S., 173 N.J. 134, 137 (2002); see also W.Z., 173 N.J. at 133(observing that the Court’s holding in R.S. “requires that we reject W.Z.’scontentions concerning the unreliability of those actuarial instruments”); In reCivil Commitment of A.Y., 458 N.J. Super. 147, 172 (App. Div. 2019) (notingthe admissibility of actuarial risk assessment instruments under the Court’sdecisions in R.S. and W.Z); see also In re Registrant J.M., 167 N.J. 490, 499- 16 507 (2001) (rejecting challenge to weighting of static factors more heavilythan dynamic factors in RRAS under Megan’s Law). The State’s expert testimony and the risk assessment instruments onwhich the experts rely comprise the core of the State’s proofs in a typicalSVPA civil commitment hearing. See, e.g., In re Civil Commitment of J.M.B., 395 N.J. Super. 69, 94 (App. Div. 2007) (describing State’s SVPA proofs toinclude expert witnesses who “both testified that the documents they relied onwere commonly used by experts in the field of sex offender risk assessment”),aff’d, 197 N.J. 563 (2009); In re Civil Commitment of D.L., 351 N.J. Super. 77, 90 (App. Div. 2002) (noting that the State’s SVPA case “generallyconsist[s] of extensive psychological or psychiatric testimony, as well asevidence of actuarial risk assessments”); J.P., 339 N.J. Super. at 451-55(discussing the State’s use of expert testimony and risk assessment tools atSVPA commitment hearing); In re Commitment of W.Z., 339 N.J. Super. 549,559-60 (App. Div. 2001) (summarizing the State’s SVPA commitment case toinclude the “results of several actuarial risk assessment instruments” “to get asmuch information as possible” on the individual), aff’d 173 N.J. 109 (2002).Thus, the testimony of experts and the risk assessment instruments on whichthey rely are often the pivotal proofs on the question whether the individual ishighly likely to offend again. 17 C. Against that backdrop, we consider whether the discovery availableunder Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, and Rule 4:18-1 is consonant with theprocedural framework that the Legislature prescribed in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29and -27.30. As N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29 and -27.30 make clear, the Legislature intendedthat our courts conduct SVPA civil commitment hearings expeditiously.Although the person facing commitment may waive N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29(a)’stwenty-day deadline for a hearing date as P.D. did in this matter, theLegislature clearly did not envision that the parties in SVPA civil commitmentcases would take months to prepare for the court hearing. Indeed, such aprotracted schedule would interfere with the annual review procedure set forthin N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.35. The civil discovery that P.D. seeks pursuant to Rule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1,and Rule 4:18-1 would extend the pre-hearing period far beyond its intendedparameters. Absent a court order limiting discovery, Rule 4:10-1 authorizes acivil litigant to obtain discovery by one or more of the following methods: Depositions upon oral examination or written questions; written interrogatories; production of documents or things; permission to enter upon land or other property, for inspection and other purposes; 18 physical and mental examinations; and requests for admissions. Unless the court orders otherwise under R. 4:10-3, the frequency of use of these methods is not limited. Neither of the specific discovery devices that P.D. seeks to invoke canbe utilized within the time frame that the Legislature prescribed. Rule 4:17-4allows a party sixty days to answer interrogatories; the exception to that rule,uniform interrogatories in certain cases under Rule 4:17-1(b)(2), also allowsfor response periods far in excess of the SVPA’s twenty-day pre-hearingperiod. Requests for production of documents served pursuant to Rule 4:18-1must be responded to within thirty-five days of service. In civil cases,deadlines to respond to discovery are often extended, and a party’s inquiryunder one form of discovery may lead to months or years of additionaldiscovery. The parties to an SVPA commitment hearing cannot proceed underRule 4:10-1, Rule 4:17-1, and Rule 4:18-1, let alone use the other forms ofdiscovery allowed under the civil rules, without delaying the hearing formonths or even years. In short, the civil rules that P.D. seeks to use, unmentioned in the SVPA,are incompatible with the Legislature’s intent that SVPA civil commitmenthearings take place on an expedited schedule. See N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29 to -27.30. Accordingly, P.D. is not entitled to discovery pursuant to Rule 4:10-1, 19 Rule 4:17-1, Rule 4:18-1, or the other discovery devices available under thecivil discovery rules. D. We concur with P.D. that Rule 4:74-7 does not govern civil commitmentproceedings under the SVPA. As the Appellate Division observed, “[Rule4:74-7] predates the SVPA and by its terms it applies to civil commitmentsgenerally, incorporating the definitions in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.2.” In reCommitment of G.D., 358 N.J. Super. 310, 316 (App. Div. 2003). The limiteddiscovery available under Rule 4:74-7 is focused on the terms of the generalcivil commitment statute, not that of the SVPA, and the Rule was not amendedafter the SVPA was enacted to apply to that statute. IV. A. 1. Although a person facing an SVPA civil commitment hearing may notobtain discovery pursuant to the civil discovery rules, the SVPA does notrelieve the State of any obligation to provide discovery in advance of thehearing. To the contrary, we consider limited and expeditious sharing ofinformation by the State to be essential to the person’s meaningful exercise ofthe “right to present evidence” and “right to cross-examine witnesses” in 20 defense of the State’s application for civil commitment, as guaranteed by N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.31(c) and (d).1 We thus view the State’s pre-hearing discovery obligation to consist ofthe exchange of two categories of information: (1) the production ofdocuments in its possession, custody or control relating to the history andtreatment of the person whose civil commitment is at issue; and (2) the serviceof expert reports that fully disclose the basis for the expert’s opinion regardingthe person’s mental abnormality or personality disorder and the likelihood thatthe person will reoffend. See N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26. We address each in turn. 2. The State represented at oral argument that shortly after it initiates aproceeding for civil commitment pursuant to the SVPA, it immediatelyproduces (1) all documents in its possession relating to the person’s criminalhistory; (2) all documents in its possession relating to the person’sincarceration; (3) all documents in its possession relating to the person’streatment, if any; and (4) all documents in its possession regarding the basis1 We base our holding on our construction of the SVPA, and do not reach the due process claims raised by P.D. See D.Y., 218 N.J. at 379 (“[W]e strive to avoid reaching constitutional questions unless required to do so.” (quoting Comm. to Recall Menendez v. Wells, 204 N.J. 79, 95 (2010))); Randolph Town Ctr., L.P. v. County of Morris, 186 N.J. 78, 80 (2006) (“Courts should not reach a constitutional question unless its resolution is imperative to the disposition of litigation.”). 21 for civil commitment. The State indicated that it does not withhold documentswithin those categories on relevance grounds. In combination with disclosures concerning the State’s experts, thoseenumerated categories of documents enable a person facing an SVPAcommitment hearing to present evidence and counter the State’s proofs. Thosedocuments go to the heart of the State’s burden of proof by clear andconvincing evidence; they address the State’s assertion that the person hasbeen convicted of a sexually violent offense, the question of a mentalabnormality or personality disorder, and the prospect that the person willrecidivate. See N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.26; R.F., 217 N.J. at 173. 3. The State’s experts’ reports should fully disclose the substance andfoundation of the expert’s opinion in advance of the hearing. The report, incombination with the expert’s CV, should set forth the expert’s qualificationsto render the opinion. The report should contain a complete statement of theexpert’s opinion regarding the need for civil commitment of the person inquestion, and the basis for that opinion. The expert should state any diagnosisrelevant to the opinion and explain the basis for each diagnosis. The expertshould identify any risk assessment instrument used in the evaluation of theperson involved. If the expert has utilized a risk assessment instrument that 22 has been deemed reliable and admissible in a decision by this Court or theAppellate Division, the report need not generally establish the reliability ofthat risk assessment instrument. However, the expert must identify any riskassessment instrument used in the particular case, address any relevant staticand dynamic factors, and summarize any findings with respect to thelikelihood that the person will reoffend. See generally R.S., 173 N.J. at 137(noting that an expert may rely on “actuarial as well as clinical informationwhen formulating an opinion concerning future dangerousness”). An individual subject to civil commitment who contends that the State’sexpert report is deficient may challenge that report under the net opinion ruleor other relevant grounds. The net opinion rule “mandates that experts 'beable to identify the factual bases for their conclusions, explain theirmethodology, and demonstrate that both the factual bases and the methodologyare reliable.’” Townsend v. Pierre, 221 N.J. 36, 55 (2015) (quoting Landriganv. Celotex Corp., 127 N.J. 404, 417 (1992)). 4. In a given case, the person subject to civil commitment may seekdiscovery other than the discovery described above in order to exercise theright under N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.31 to present evidence and cross-examinewitnesses. Such additional discovery must be sought in a motion filed with the 23 trial court on notice to the State, on a showing of exceptional circumstances.The court, in its discretion, may enter an order granting or denying theperson’s application to take such additional discovery. B. As noted, no current court rule addresses the discovery that the Stateshould provide to a person facing civil commitment under the SVPA. Weexercise our rulemaking authority to promulgate a rule limited to pre -hearingdiscovery by the individual subject to civil commitment under the SVPA. The following rule shall be effective for SVPA proceedings thirty daysafter the date of this decision: Discovery by a Person Subject to Involuntary Commitment Pursuant to the Sexually Violent Predator Act (a) Any rule, regulation or policy of confidentiality notwithstanding, a person subject to involuntary commitment pursuant to the New Jersey Sexually Violent Predator Act, N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.24 to -27.38, and the person’s counsel, shall have the right to inspect and copy the following documents, no later than ten days before the court hearing with respect to the issue of continuing need for involuntary commitment as a sexually violent predator: 1. all documents in the possession, custody or control of the State relating to the person’s criminal history; 24 2. all documents in the possession, custody or control of the State relating to the person’s incarceration;3. all documents in the possession, custody or control of the State relating to the person’s treatment, if any;4. all documents in the possession, custody or control of the State relating to the basis for the State’s application for the person’s civil commitment pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.29 to -27.32;5. if the person is subject to an annual review hearing pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4- 27.35, all documents in the possession, custody or control of the State relating to the person’s treatment and conduct while committed to a facility designated for the custody, care and treatment of sexually violent predators;6. names and addresses of each person whom the State expects to call at the civil commitment court hearing as an expert witness, the expert’s qualifications, and a copy of the expert’s report. The State may supplement its expert psychiatrist’s report when an examination is conducted “as close to the court hearing date as possible, but in no event more than five calendar days prior to the court hearing” pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4- 27.30(b). Any such supplemental report 25 must be served no later than two calendar days before the court hearing. In the expert’s report, the expert shall state the opinion, explain the basis for that opinion, identify any diagnosis relevant to the opinion and the basis for that diagnosis, identify any risk assessment instrument that the expert has used in the evaluation of the person, explain the manner in which the risk assessment instrument was used in the particular case, address any relevant static and dynamic factors, and summarize any findings with respect to the likelihood that the person will engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined to a secure facility for control, care and treatment. (b) If the person whom the State seeks to civilly commit pursuant to the SVPA seeks discovery in addition to the discovery set forth above, the person must proceed by motion on notice to the State, which shall be granted only on a showing of exceptional circumstances V. The trial court’s decision denying P.D.’s application for discoverypursuant to Rule 4:10-1 is affirmed, and the matter is remanded to the trialcourt for proceedings consistent with this opinion. 26 CHIEF JUSTICE RABNER and JUSTICES LaVECCHIA, ALBIN, FERNANDEZ-VINA, SOLOMON, and TIMPONE join in JUSTICE PATTERSON’s opinion. 27