Court Opinion

ID: 9686444
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 15:48:14.583628+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:18.972103
License: Public Domain

LOUIS J. CECI, J.
{dissenting). The majority notes, but fails to attach proper significance to, the following fact: contrary to precommitment detention under ch. 51, Stats., underlying the involuntary commitment of individuals pursuant to ch. 51 is a determination of "dangerousness” established by "clear and convincing evidence.” See sec. 51.20(13)(e). A determination of dangerousness includes, inter alia, findings that the individual evidences: (1) "a substantial probability of physical harm to himself or herself’; (2) "impaired judgment”; or (3) "behavior manifested by recent acts or omissions that, due to mental illness, he or she is unable to satisfy basic needs for ... medical care —” sec. 51.20(l)(a)2, Stats.1 (Emphasis added.) *748Thus, not only is the distinction between precommitment detainees and individuals involuntarily committed under ch. 51 significant, but the distinction is directly relevant to "medical care” and, as such, the capacity to exercise informed consent.
With this distinction in mind, it is important to recall the following oft-quoted principle: "There is a strong presumption supporting the constitutionality of any classification made by the Wisconsin legislature.” State ex rel. Watts v. Combined Community Services Board of Milwaukee County, 122 Wis. 2d 65, 79, 362 N.W.2d 104 (1985) (citations omitted). Consequently, "'[i]f there is any reasonable basis upon which the legislation may constitutionally rest, the *749court must assume that the legislature had such fact in mind and passed the act pursuant thereto.’” Chappy v. LIRC, 136 Wis. 2d 172, 185, 401 N.W.2d 568 (1987) (quoting State ex rel. Carnation Milk Products Co. v. Emery, 178 Wis. 147, 160, 189 N.W. 564 (1922)). We have further stated, "'Equal protection does not require that all persons be dealt with identically, but it does require that a distinction made have some relevance to the purpose for which the classification is made.’” Watts, 122 Wis. 2d at 79 (quoting Baxtrom v. Herold, 383 U.S. 107, 111 (1966), citing Walters v. City of St. Louis, 347 U.S. 231, 237 (1954)).
Recently, this court restated the standard to be applied in determining the constitutionality of a statute challenged on equal protection grounds: " '[U]nless a statute may be said to affect a "fundamental right” or to create a classification based on a "suspect” criterion, the standard this court uses in reviewing the constitutionality of a statutory classifiction is the "rational basis” test.’” Treiber v. Knoll, 135 Wis. 2d 58, 70 398 N.W.2d 756 (1987) (quoting Hilber v. State, 89 Wis. 2d 49, 54, 277 N.W.2d 839 (1979)). It is my opinion that the distinction between involuntarily committed individuals and precommitment detainees not only satisfies the lower "rational basis” level of judicial scrutiny, but would further satisfy a "strict scrutiny” analysis. "Under strict scrutiny, a statutory classification will be upheld only if the classification promotes compelling government interests and if it is narrowly drawn to express only such interests.” Id. The distinction at bar is necessary to promote a most "compelling” state interest: the treatment of the mentally ill. See sec. 51.001, Stats. The majority, however, did not premise its decision upon either the implication of a fundamental interest or upon the *750involvement of a suspect classification such as to justify the invocation of a strict scrutiny.2 For this reason, I need not base my dissent upon the existence of a "compelling” need for the distinction directed under ch. 51. Rather, I dissent for the reason that the court has not shown beyond a reasonable doubt that a finding of dangerousness is not a reasonable basis for the legislative policy and determination which permits the nonconsensual administration of psychotropic medication to patients after a final ch. 51 commitment hearing but grants to precommitment detainees a right to refuse medication except in a situation where "medication ... is necessary to prevent serious physical harm to the patient or to others” or where there has been a hearing at which it has been determined that there is probable cause to believe that the individual is not competent to refuse medication.3 Section 51.61(l)(g), Stats.
*751The distinction between involuntarily committed individuals and precommitment detainees is that only involuntarily committed individuals have been found to be dangerous by clear and convincing evidence. To the extent that a finding of dangerousness includes a substantial probability that the individual presents a threat of physical harm to himself or herself or an inability to satisfy his or her own medical care needs, this distinction is rationally related to the legislative refusal to subject such individuals to their own impaired judgment regarding medical treatment.
As a final note, I would comment that even if the distinction between precommitment detainees and involuntarily committed individuals could be disregarded such that an equal protection analysis would be appropriate, the analysis employed by the majority does not accord the protection it deems necessary. Specifically, if equal protection requires that involuntarily committed individuals be provided the process outlined under Sec. 51.61(l)(g), Stats., for precommitment detainees, the focus should be on the fact that a "due process” hearing is required prior to the forcible administration of drugs of precommitment detainees and not on the articulated "probable cause” standard *752which satisfies "due process” concerning the temporary detention of a precommitment detainee but not individuals involuntarily committed after a final hearing. The disregard for the distinction ineluctably separating precommitment detainees from involuntarily committed individuals suggests a myopic application of an improperly invoked equal protection analysis. Stated otherwise, if an equal protection comparison is appropriate, which, for the reasons I have stated above, I firmly believe is not, the analysis should focus on the denial to involuntarily committed individuals of the right to an incompetency determination by the same standard as is applied for the purpose of detention.
For the reasons stated, I dissent.

"51.20 Involuntary commitment for treatment. (1) Petition for examination, (a) ... [E]very written petition for examination shall allege that the subject individual to be examined:
"2. Is dangerous because the individual:
“a. Evidences a substantial probability of physical harm to himself or herself as manifested by evidence of recent threats of or attempts at suicide or serious bodily harm;
*748"b. Evidences a substantial probability of physical harm to other individuals as manifested by evidence of recent homicidal or other violent behavior, or by evidence that others are placed in reasonable fear of violent behavior and serious physical harm to them, as evidenced by a recent overt act, attempt or threat to do serious physical harm....
"c. Evidences such impaired judgment, manifested by evidence of a pattern of recent acts or omissions, that there is a substantial probability of physical impairment or injury to himself or herself. The probability of physical impairment or injury is not substantial under this subparagraph if reasonable provision for the subject individual’s protection is available in the community ....
"d. Evidences behavior manifested by recent acts or omissions that, due to mental illness, he or she is unable to satisfy basic needs for nourishment, medical care, shelter or safety without prompt and adequate treatment so that a substantial probability exists that death, serious physical injury, serious physical debilitation or serious physical disease will imminently ensue unless the individual receives prompt and adequate treatment for this mental illness. No substantial probability of harm under this subparagraph exists if reasonable provision for the individual’s treatment and protection is available in the community ....”

In City of Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Inc., 473 U.S. 432, 446 (1985), the United States Supreme Court rejected a characterization of the mentally ill as a "suspect class.”

The fault in the logic of the opinion of the majority becomes apparent when viewed in light of the fact that the basis of holding unconstitutional the forcible administration of psychotropic medication to individuals involuntarily committed under ch. 51 is the finding that the operation of the statute results in a denial of equal protection under ch. 51 since informed consent is granted to precommitment detainees. Since this holding is premised upon a denial of equal protection, could this unconstitutional result have thus been avoided by similarly permitting the forcible administration of psychotropic drugs to precommitment detainees? Surely not. Absent a final hearing at which an individual is determined by clear and convincing evidence to be dangerous, permitting the forcible administration of medication would unavoidably implicate considerations of due process. Those same due process considerations are, as apparently recognized in the majority *751opinion, not present once the individual is committed where professional standards govern the administration of the medication. Opinion at 742 (citing Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 323 (1982)). Consequently, the rationale employed by the majority opinion fails since the distinction at issue, which permits, without impinging upon procedural due process, the forcible administration of psychotropic drugs to involuntarily committed individuals but would bar, due to considerations of due process, the forcible administration of medication to precommitment detainees, exists with equal force as a rational basis under an equal protection analysis.