HRS § 334-60.5 - Hearing on petition

(a) The court may adjourn or continue a hearing for failure to timely notify a spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, guardian, relative, or other person determined by the court to be entitled to notice, or for failure by the subject to contact an attorney as provided in section 334-60.4(b)(7) if the court determines the interests of justice so require. (b) The time and form of the procedure incident to hearing the issues in the petition shall be provided by court rule. Unless the hearing is waived, the judge shall hear the petition as soon as possible and no later than ten days after the date the petition is filed unless a reasonable delay is sought for good cause shown by the subject of the petition, the subject's attorney, or those persons entitled to receive notice of the hearing under section 334-60.4. (c) The subject of the petition shall be present at all hearings unless the subject waives the right to be present, is unable to attend, or creates conditions which make it impossible to conduct the hearing in a reasonable manner as determined by the judge. A waiver is valid only upon acceptance by the court following a judicial determination that the subject understands the subject's rights and is competent to waive them, or is unable to participate. If the subject is unable to participate, the judge shall appoint a guardian ad litem or a temporary guardian as provided in article V of chapter 560, to represent the subject throughout the proceedings. (d) Hearings may be held at any convenient place within the circuit. The subject of the petition, any interested party, or the court on its own motion may request a hearing in another circuit because of convenience to the parties, witnesses, or the court or because of the individual's mental or physical condition. (e) The attorney general, the attorney general's deputy, special deputy, or appointee shall present the case for hearings convened under this chapter, except that the attorney general, the attorney general's deputy, special deputy, or appointee need not participate in or be present at a hearing whenever a petitioner or some other appropriate person has retained private counsel who will be present in court and will present to the court the case for involuntary hospitalization. (f) Counsel for the subject of the petition shall be allowed adequate time for investigation of the matters at issue and for preparation, and shall be permitted to present the evidence that the counsel believes necessary to a proper disposition of the proceedings, including evidence as to alternatives to inpatient hospitalization. (g) No individual may be found to require treatment in a psychiatric facility unless at least one physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or psychologist who has personally examined the individual testifies in person at the hearing. This testimony may be waived by the subject of the petition. If the subject of the petition has refused to be examined by a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or psychologist, the subject may be examined by a court-appointed licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or psychologist. If the subject refuses and there is sufficient evidence to believe that the allegations of the petition are true, the court may make a temporary order committing the subject to a psychiatric facility for a period of not more than five days for the purpose of a diagnostic examination and evaluation. The subject's refusal shall be treated as a denial that the subject is mentally ill or suffering from substance abuse. Nothing in this section, however, shall limit the individual's privilege against self-incrimination. (h) The subject of the petition in a hearing under this section has the right to secure an independent medical or psychological evaluation and present evidence thereon. (i) If after hearing all relevant evidence, including the result of any diagnostic examination ordered by the court, the court finds that an individual is not a person requiring medical, psychiatric, psychological, or other rehabilitative treatment or supervision, the court shall order that the individual be discharged if the individual has been hospitalized prior to the hearing. (j) If the court finds that the criteria for involuntary hospitalization under section 334-60.2(1) has been met beyond a reasonable doubt and that the criteria under sections 334-60.2(2) and 334-60.2(3) have been met by clear and convincing evidence, the court may issue an order to any law enforcement officer to deliver the subject to a facility that has agreed to admit the subject as an involuntary patient, or if the subject is already a patient in a psychiatric facility, authorize the facility to retain the patient for treatment for a period of ninety days unless sooner discharged. The court may also authorize the involuntary administration of medication, where the subject has an existing order for assisted community treatment, issued pursuant to part VIII of this chapter, relating to assisted community treatment, and in accordance with the treatment prescribed by that prior order. An order of commitment shall specify which of those persons served with notice pursuant to section 334-60.4, together with such other persons as the court may designate, shall be entitled to receive any subsequent notice of intent to discharge, transfer, or recommit. The court shall forward to the Hawaii criminal justice data center all orders of involuntary civil commitment or information from all orders of involuntary civil commitment, as requested by the Hawaii criminal justice data center, which in turn shall forward the information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or its successor agency, for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System database. The orders or information shall also be maintained by the Hawaii criminal justice data center for disclosure to and use by law enforcement officials for the purpose of firearms permitting or registration pursuant to chapter 134. This subsection shall apply to all involuntary civil commitments without regard to the date of the involuntary civil commitment. (k) The court may find that the subject of the petition is an incapacitated or protected person, or both, under article V of chapter 560, and may appoint a guardian or conservator, or both, for the subject under the terms and conditions as the court shall determine. [L 1984, c 188, pt of §3; am L 1985, c 220, §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1994, c 58, §3; am L 1997, c 383, §47; am L 2004, c 161, §8; am L 2013, c 221, §§6, 24 and c 232, §4; am L 2014, c 87, §4; am L 2015, c 27, §4; am L 2016, c 114, §6] Rules of Court Applicability of Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure, see HRCP rule 81(b).