Opinion ID: 885764
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The role of effective counsel in involuntary civil commitment proceedings

Text: ¶ 66 As acknowledged by all parties concerned here, our statutory guidelines under Title 53, Chapter 21, offer little assistance in determining the requisite scope of duties of effective counsel in involuntary commitment proceedings. Nevertheless, the Legislature has provided clear procedural opportunities for counsel to pursue an adversarial role in such proceedings that adequately serve as a framework for our due process analysis. ¶ 67 Once counsel is appointed, pursuant to § 53-21-122, MCA, counsel shall meet with the respondent, explain the substance of the petition, and explain the probable course of the proceedings. See § 53-21-121(3), MCA. See also § 53-21-165, MCA (providing list of records that must be available to any attorney charged with representing the patient). Ordinarily, the commitment hearing must take place within five days of a respondent's initial appearance. See § 53-21-122(2) and (3), MCA. Under this statute, however, counsel may request additional time. ¶ 68 Under § 53-21-124(1), MCA, the court may not order detention of a respondent pending the hearing on the petition unless requested by the county attorney and upon the existence of probable cause for detention. At that time, counsel for the patient-respondent may request a detention hearing, which must be held forthwith. Further, under § 53-21-124(3), MCA, counsel for the patient-respondent may also object to the continued evaluation and treatment by a professional person selected by the patient-respondent pending the hearing. ¶ 69 Under § 53-21-125, MCA, a patient's counsel may in lieu of a hearing request a jury trial, whereupon the time set for hearing shall be vacated and the matter set on the court's jury calendar at the earliest date possible, the matter taking precedence over all other matters. Upon a finding that a patient-respondent requires commitment, a court must hold a post-trial disposition hearing, pursuant to § 53-21-127(2), MCA. Apparently, in the case at bar, this second mandatory hearing was simply combined with the hearing on the petition, pursuant to § 53-21-126, MCA. ¶ 70 In order to further enhance the due process protections under the foregoing statutory mandates, as Amicus suggests, we adopt certain portions of the National Center for State Courts' Guidelines for Involuntary Civil Commitment. See 10 Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter, 409 through 514 (No. 5-1986) (hereinafter Guidelines ). [10] Thus, the following critical areas shall serve to better define the scope of effective representation in involuntary commitment proceedings, under Article II, Section 17, of the Montana Constitution.
¶ 71 Under § 53-21-122(2) and (3), MCA, if a judge finds probable cause for the commitment petition, counsel must be immediately appointed for the respondent. In light of the foregoing statutory mandate, we add that following guideline: To be eligible for appointment, attorneys should have specialized course training, or have received supervised on-the-job training in the duties, skills, and ethics of representing civil commitment respondents. See Guidelines, Part E1 at 464. At a bare minimum, counsel should possess a verifiably competent understanding of the legal process of involuntary commitments, as well as the range of alternative, less-restrictive treatment and care options available, pursuant to § 53-21-127(2), MCA (listing evaluation and treatment options that court may impose following a disposition hearing, including involuntary medication). ¶ 72 Further, state law requires that the desires of the respondent must be taken into consideration in the . . . confirmation of the appointment of the attorney, under § 53-21-122(2), MCA. In the case at bar, as an example, there is no evidence that any such desires, which would indicate an informed, knowledgeable decision by the patient-respondent, were ever taken into consideration. Therefore, it is critical that the district court, upon appointment of counsel, provide the patient-respondent with clear and concise information describing the attorney's name and qualifications in order for the patient to then make an informed decision as to whether to accept appointed counsel, or for good cause shown and based on compelling reasons request the appointment of different counsel, or retain alternative representation.
¶ 73 Under § 53-21-165, MCA, a patient-respondent's attorney has a right of access to the client's records. Further, under § 53-21-115(2), MCA, a patient-respondent has the right to offer evidence, and to present witnesses in any proceeding concerning the person. Also, the patient-respondent has the right to know, before a hearing, the names and addresses of any witnesses who will testify in support of a petition and the right to view and copy all petitions on file with the court under subsections (3) and (8), of § 53-21-115, MCA. ¶ 74 Therefore, before and after the required meeting with a patient, under § 53-21-121(3), MCA, counsel should conduct a thorough review of all available records. Such inquiry must necessarily involve the patient's prior medical history and treatment, if and to what extent medication has played a role in the petition for commitment, the patient's relationship to family and friends within the community, and the patient's relationship with all relevant medical professionals involved prior to and during the petition process. In sum, we conclude that the rights afforded a patient-respondent under § 53-21-115, MCA, without the assistance of diligent, competent, and well-informed counsel at the commencement of the critical investigatory stage of the involuntary commitment process, would have little meaning. ¶ 75 Thus, counsel should be prepared to discuss with his or her client the available options in light of such investigations, as well as the practical and legal consequences of those options. See Guidelines, Part E2 at 465; § 53-21-127(2), MCA. It is likewise imperative that counsel request a reasonable amount of time for such an investigation prior to the hearing or trial on the petition, pursuant to § 53-21-122(2) and (3), MCA. ¶ 76 Prior to or following the initial client interview, counsel should also attempt to interview all persons who have knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the commitment petition, including family members, acquaintances and any other persons identified by the client as having relevant information, and be prepared to call such persons as witnesses. See Guidelines, Part E5(c) at 474. Again, counsel should freely and liberally request a reasonable amount of time for such an investigation prior to the hearing or trial on the petition, pursuant to § 53-21-122(2) and (3), MCA.
¶ 77 Under § 53-21-121(3), MCA, counsel shall meet with the respondent, explain the substance of the petition, and explain the probable course of the proceedings. As indicated by the Commentary to the Guidelines, the prehearing services of an attorney are an indispensable prerequisite for protecting a respondent's interests. Guidelines, Part E5 Commentary, at 475. See also Rule 1.2(a), Montana Rules of Professional Conduct (a lawyer shall abide by a client's decisions concerning the objectives of representation and shall consult with the client as to the means by which they are to be pursued); Rule 1.14 (providing that when a client's ability to make adequately considered decisions in connection with the representation is impaired, whether because of minority, mental disability or for some other reason, the lawyer shall, as far as reasonably possible, maintain a normal client-lawyer relationship with the client). ¶ 78 To the foregoing we add the following guideline: The initial client interview should be conducted in private and should be held sufficiently before any scheduled hearings to permit effective preparation and prehearing assistance to the client. See Guidelines, Part E5, at 473 (emphasis added). ¶ 79 In addition to explaining the petition and commitment process and the various rights at issue to the client, counsel should also ascertain, if possible, a clear understanding of what the client would like to see happen in the forthcoming commitment proceedings, whether it be arguing for dismissal of the petition, seeking a voluntary commitment status, formulating and then negotiating with the State a least-restrictive alternative to commitment, or agreeing to a State-recommended court-ordered commitment. See § 53-21-127(2), MCA (listing options that court may impose following a disposition hearing). The above guideline recognizes that such an understanding may take additional time, due to the client's mental condition and medication, and therefore counsel may need to request a continuation of a scheduled hearing, pursuant to § 53-21-122(2) and (3), MCA. ¶ 80 Further, it is critical that counsel, through the course of interviewing the client, discuss and determine whether a jury trial should be pursued, pursuant to § 53-21-125, MCA. It is also incumbent upon counsel to facilitate the exercise of the client's right, under §§ 53-21-115(9) and 124(3), MCA, to be examined by a professional person of the person's choice and to determine whether the evaluation and treatment should be objected to. See § 53-21-124(3), MCA. Finally, counsel should discuss whether a detention hearing, pursuant to § 53-21-124(1), MCA, should be pursued.
¶ 81 A patient-respondent, under § 53-21-115(6), MCA, has the right to remain silent. This right attaches, pursuant to the introductory language, when a person is involuntarily detained or against whom a petition is filed. In turn, this provision potentially conflicts with § 53-21-123(1), MCA, which requires after the initial hearing that the respondent must be examined by the professional person without unreasonable delay. ¶ 82 Generally, this court-ordered examination serves to establish the evidence necessary for involuntary commitment, as indicated by the report submitted to the court in the case at bar, which identified K.G.F.'s mental background, and present mental status, through a list of yes or no criteria, and a handwritten commentary. The professional person, pursuant to § 53-21-123(1), MCA, may take up to four hours to complete the examination. ¶ 83 We conclude that it is critical for the patient-respondent, via assistance of counsel, to be allowed to make a voluntary and knowing waiver of his or her right to remain silent prior to the commencement of this examination, see § 53-21-119(1), MCA, or, in the alternative, that counsel must be present during the examination similar to a criminal interrogation or a civil deposition. We emphasize again that the right to counsel cannot under any circumstances be waived. See § 53-21-119, MCA. We conclude, therefore, that it would be a patent due process violation for the examination, as provided for under § 53-21-123, MCA, to be conducted without the assistance of counsel as provided herein.
¶ 84 To what extent an attorney representing a patient-client in an involuntary commitment proceeding should adopt an adversarial posture is a subject of extensive debate among state legislatures and commentators, and is noticeably absent from Title 53, Chapter 21 statutes. ¶ 85 As indicated earlier, other states have adopted express statutory provisions defining this role. See, e.g., Minn.Stat. Ann. § 144.4177 (counsel shall be a vigorous advocate on behalf of the client). As the Commentary to the Guidelines states: [w]hen an attorney fails to act as an advocate and assumes a paternalistic or passive stance, the balance of the system is upset, the defense attorney usurps the judicial role, and the defendant's position goes unheard. Guidelines, Part E2 Commentary, at 466 (internal quotations omitted). ¶ 86 Accordingly, we agree with the Guidelines as well the approach taken in Texas, that the proper role of the attorney is to represent the perspective of the respondent and to serve as a vigorous advocate for the respondent's wishes. See Guidelines, Part E2, at 465. Further: To the extent that a client is unable or unwilling to express personal wishes, the attorney should advocate the position that best safeguards and advances the client's interest. Guidelines, Part E2, at 465. Additionally: In the courtroom, an attorney should engage in all aspects of advocacy and vigorously argue to the best of his or her ability for the ends desired by the client. Guidelines, Part F5, at 483. ¶ 87 The foregoing guidelines create the presumption that a client wishes to not be involuntarily committed. The ultimate decision of whether a patient-respondent should be involuntarily committed, therefore, should not be independently made by counsel. See Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. § 574.004 (providing that regardless of an attorney's personal opinion, the attorney shall use all reasonable efforts within the bounds of law to advocate the proposed patient's right to avoid court-ordered mental health services if the proposed patient expresses a desire to avoid the services). ¶ 88 Thus, we conclude that pursuant to the foregoing guidelines, evidence that counsel independently advocated or otherwise acquiesced to an involuntary commitmentin the absence of any evidence of a voluntary and knowing consent by the patient-respondentwill establish the presumption that counsel was ineffective. ¶ 89 One final statutory consideration is whether a post-trial disposition hearing should be conducted separately, utilizing the five-days permitted pursuant to § 53-21-127(2), MCA. Again, a continuation to fully examine and assert a least restrictive alternative at a second hearing may be in the client's best interest, and therefore should be pursued by counsel when necessary.