Opinion ID: 1399765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Threshold Showing

Text: Recognizing that mental illness is not the equivalent of mental incompetence, the Court in Nix required a prima facie showing of mental incompetence to warrant a competency hearing. 40 S.W.3d at 463-64. We emphasized that [u]nsupported, conclusory, or general allegations of mental illness are insufficient to meet the required threshold showing. Id. at 464. We explained: The required prima facie showing may be satisfied by attaching to the petition affidavits, depositions, medical reports, or other credible evidence that contain specific factual allegations showing the petitioner's incompetence. . . . While affidavits and depositions of mental health professionals may be utilized, they are not essential, and a petitioner may rely upon affidavits and depositions from family members, prison officials, attorneys, or any other person who has knowledge of facts that demonstrate either the petitioner's inability to manage his personal affairs or the petitioner's inability to understand his legal rights and liabilities. Id. We recently adopted a similar process for determining whether a petition for post-conviction relief may be filed by a next friend on behalf of an inmate who does not sign or verify the petition due to alleged mental incompetency. See Holton, ___ S.W.3d at ___, 2006 WL 1726656 (citing Nix, 40 S.W.3d. at 464). Consistent with Nix and Holton, we adopt a rule that places the burden on the petitioner to make a threshold showing that he is incompetent to proceed in a post-conviction action. The petitioner must submit a pleading alleging his or her incompetence to proceed and attach thereto affidavits, depositions, medical reports, or other credible evidence that contain specific factual allegations demonstrating either the petitioner's inability to manage his or her personal affairs or the petitioner's inability to understand his legal rights and liabilities. If a prima facie showing is made, then a competency hearing should be held. In preparation for the competency hearing, the trial court may enter a scheduling order requiring the parties to provide notice of any expert witnesses and to provide a written report of the expert's opinions at a designated time prior to the hearing.