Art. 46B.151. COURT DETERMINATION RELATED TO CIVIL COMMITMENT. (a) If a court is required by Article 46B.084(f) or by its appropriate determination under Article 46B.071 to proceed under this subchapter, or if the court is permitted by Article 46B.004(e) to proceed under this subchapter, the court shall determine whether there is evidence to support a finding that the defendant is either a person with mental illness or a person with an intellectual disability.
(b) If it appears to the court that there is evidence to support a finding of mental illness or an intellectual disability, the court shall enter an order transferring the defendant to the appropriate court for civil commitment proceedings and stating that all charges pending against the defendant in that court have been dismissed. The court may order the defendant:
(1) detained in jail or any other suitable place pending the prompt initiation and prosecution by the attorney for the state or other person designated by the court of appropriate civil proceedings to determine whether the defendant will be committed to a mental health facility or residential care facility; or
(2) placed in the care of a responsible person on satisfactory security being given for the defendant's proper care and protection.
(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a defendant placed in a facility of the Department of State Health Services or the Department of Aging and Disability Services pending civil hearing under this article may be detained in that facility only with the consent of the head of the facility and pursuant to an order of protective custody issued under Subtitle C, Title 7, Health and Safety Code.
(d) If the court does not detain or place the defendant under Subsection (b), the court shall release the defendant.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 35, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2004.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 324 (S.B. 679), Sec. 32, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 324 (S.B. 679), Sec. 33, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 822 (H.B. 2725), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 6.023, eff. April 2, 2015.
Last modified: September 28, 2016