Opinion ID: 1316860
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: admission of prior commitment orders

Text: Appellant Gilman argues that the admission into evidence of prior commitment orders violated the Rules of Evidence, specifically ER 403 and 404(b). [3] ER 403 provides: Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. [8] Appellant contends that the relevance of these exhibits of prior commitment was outweighed by their unfair prejudicial effect and that the jury may have believed that appellant was committed for 14-day treatment under the same standard of proof as required in the 90-day proceeding. We agree. Generally, an order of prior commitment has little, if any, relevance to a subsequent commitment proceeding. Admission of prior orders would have a tendency to create prejudice and divert the jury's deliberations from the real issues. A stated objective of the involuntary commitment act is to provide short-term commitment and to end inappropriate, indefinite commitment. RCW 71.05.010. In this regard the provisions of the commitment act envision a systematic and continual evaluation procedure. The act imposes a detailed set of procedural safeguards at each stage of confinement. Initial detention is valid only for 72 hours, at which time the detainee must either be released or afforded a probable cause hearing. RCW 71.05.180, .200. At the conclusion of the probable cause hearing, the court may order additional commitment for 14 days of treatment if the detainee meets the substantive statutory criteria for such commitment. RCW 71.05.230, .240. At the termination of the 14-day commitment, the detainee again is entitled to be released unless 90-day commitment is sought. The detainee must receive a full hearing prior to 90-day commitment and is afforded the added procedural protections of a right to jury trial. RCW 71.05.300. Additional commitment for 180 days is allowed only if the detainee is afforded another full hearing with the right to jury trial. RCW 71.05.320. Thereafter, another full judicial hearing must be accorded each time an additional 180-day commitment is sought, and no one may be detained beyond the applicable period of commitment unless under a valid court order. RCW 71.05.320. The only element not required to be re-proved in any subsequent hearing is that the detainee was taken into custody as a result of conduct in which he attempted or inflicted serious harm upon another. RCW 71.05.320(2). In this context the applicable prior commitment order is admissible. Otherwise, the only relevant evidence concerning prior commitment is that concerning treatment and conduct of the detainee. The potential for prejudice far outweighs the probative value of admission of commitment orders, and unless the detainee brings into issue the question of a prior commitment order, such orders are only admissible in the 180-day treatment proceeding as they relate to RCW 71.05.320(2). The commitment orders admitted into evidence in the Gilman proceeding did not meet the aforementioned criteria for admissibility. The Gilman trial court erred and is reversed.