Utah Code 77-15-6.5. Petition for involuntary medication of incompetent defendant

(1)	As used in this section, “final order” means a court order that determines the rights of the parties and concerning which appellate remedies have been exhausted or the time for appeal has expired.

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Terms Used In Utah Code 77-15-6.5

Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
Competent to stand trial: means that a defendant has:

(a)	a rational and factual understanding of the criminal proceedings against the defendant and of the punishment specified for the offense charged; and

(b)

the ability to consult with the defendant's legal counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding in order to assist in the defense. See Utah Code 77-15-2

Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.

Department: means the Department of Health and Human Services. See Utah Code 77-15-2

Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.

Incompetent to proceed: means that a defendant is not competent to stand trial as a result of:

(a)	mental illness; or

(b)

intellectual disability. See Utah Code 77-15-2

Restoration treatment: means training and treatment that is:

(a)	provided to an individual who is incompetent to proceed;

(b)	tailored to the individual's particular impairment to competency; and

(c)

limited to the purpose of restoring the individual to competency. See Utah Code 77-15-2

State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5

Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(2)

(a)

At any time after a defendant has been found incompetent to proceed and has been committed to the department under Section 77-15-6 for restoration treatment, the department shall notify the court, prosecuting attorney, and attorney for the defendant if the department determines that the defendant is not responding to restoration treatment and is unlikely to be restored to competency without the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication.

(b)	The department shall provide the notification under Subsection (2)(a) only if there is no basis for involuntarily medicating the defendant for reasons other than to restore the defendant’s competency.

(3)

In the notice under Subsection (2)(a), the department shall state whether:

(a)	medication is necessary to render the defendant competent;

(b)	medication is substantially likely to render the defendant competent;

(c)	medication is substantially unlikely to produce side effects which would significantly interfere with the defendant’s ability to assist in the defendant’s defense;

(d)	no less intrusive means are available, and whether any of those means have been attempted to render the defendant competent; and

(e)	medication is medically appropriate and is in the defendant’s best medical interest in light of the defendant’s medical condition.

(4)

(a)	The court shall conduct a hearing within 15 days, or, for good cause, within 30 days after the day on which the court receives the notice described in Subsection (2)(a), regarding the involuntary medication of the defendant.

(b)	The prosecuting attorney shall represent the state at any hearing under this section.

(c)

The court shall consider whether the following factors apply in determining whether the defendant should be involuntarily medicated:

(i)	important state interests are at stake in restoring the defendant’s competency;

(ii)

involuntary medication will significantly further the important state interests, in that the medication proposed:

(A)	is substantially likely to render the defendant competent to stand trial; and

(B)	is substantially unlikely to produce side effects which would significantly interfere with the defendant’s ability to assist in the defendant’s defense;

(iii)

involuntary medication is necessary to further important state interests, because any less intrusive treatments are unlikely to achieve substantially the same results; and

(iv)	the administration of the proposed medication is medically appropriate, as it is in the defendant’s best medical interest in light of the defendant’s medical condition.

(5)	In determining whether the proposed treatment is medically appropriate and is in the defendant’s best medical interest, the potential penalty the defendant may be subject to, if the defendant is convicted of any charged offense, is not a relevant consideration.

(6)

(a)

If the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication is appropriate, it shall make findings addressing each of the factors in Subsection (4)(c) and shall issue an order authorizing the department to involuntarily administer antipsychotic medication to the defendant in order to restore the defendant’s competency, subject to the periodic reviews and other procedures provided in Section 77-15-6.

(b)	When issuing an order under Subsection (6)(a), the court shall consider ordering less intrusive means for administering the drugs, such as a court order to the defendant enforceable by the contempt power, before ordering more intrusive methods of involuntary medication.

(7)

The provisions in Section 77-15-6 establishing time limitations for treatment of incompetent defendants before they must be either released or civilly committed are tolled from the time the department gives notice to the court and the parties under Subsection (2) until:

(a)	the court has issued a final order for the involuntary medication of the defendant, and the defendant has been medicated under that order; or

(b)	the court has issued a final order that the defendant will not be involuntarily medicated.

(8)	This section applies only when an order of involuntary medication is sought solely for the purpose of rendering a defendant competent to stand trial.

Amended by Chapter 147, 2018 General Session

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