Opinion ID: 1678012
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: application of procedural requirements

Text: The evidence presented at the hearing satisfies the Due Process Clause requirements set forth in Harper and Riggins. A forensic evaluation was made by Dr. Martin on October 19, 1992. In it, Dr. Martin stated that appellant suffered from Schizophrenia, Paranoid Type, in exacerbation. The evaluation also stated that appellant was dangerous. Although 4 months had passed since Dr. Martin made his evaluation, the doctor stated at the hearing on February 24, 1993, that typically, people in appellant's condition do not improve without medication. At that hearing, Dr. Martin stated he had seen appellant in the morning, and his diagnosis, as stated in the evaluation, had not changed. The use of medication was also medically appropriate. Dr. Martin testified that appellant would be amenable to treatment with antipsychotic drugs. Dr. Martin also stated that although there are side effects to the antipsychotic drugs, their use on the whole was safe, since the incidence of serious side effects from the medication is small and those drugs with a high incidence of side effects could be controlled by the dosage administered. In addition, Dr. Martin stated that appellant had responded well to antipsychotic medication in the past. Dr. Martin testified that the fact that appellant had been treated with the antipsychotic medication in the past was the best prognosticator of whether the drug would work in the future. In regard to the least restrictive alternatives, Dr. Martin stated that although other therapeutic approaches were available, the likelihood that they would improve appellant's condition was not very high.