Virginia Code 37.2-813: Release of person prior to commitment hearing for involuntary admission
A. Prior to a hearing as authorized in §§ 37.2-814 through 37.2-819, the district court judge or special justice may release the person on his personal recognizance or bond set by the district court judge or special justice if it appears from all evidence readily available that the person does not meet the commitment criteria specified in subsection C of § 37.2-817.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 37.2-813
- Board: means the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. See Virginia Code 37.2-100
- 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.
- Facility: means a state or licensed hospital, training center, psychiatric hospital, or other type of residential or outpatient mental health or developmental services facility. See Virginia Code 37.2-100
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- Special justice: means a person appointed by a chief judge of a judicial circuit for the purpose of performing the duties of a judge pursuant to § 37. See Virginia Code 37.2-100
B. The director of any facility in which the person is detained may release the person prior to a hearing as authorized in §§ 37.2-814 through 37.2-819 if it appears, based on an evaluation conducted by the psychiatrist or clinical psychologist treating the person, that the person would not meet the commitment criteria specified in subsection C of § 37.2-817 if released.
C. For any person under a temporary detention order pursuant to § 37.2-809, prior to transport to the facility of temporary detention, the director of the facility in which the person is located may release the person if an employee or a designee of the local community services board, as those terms are defined in § 37.2-809, in consultation with the person’s treating physician, (i) conducts an evaluation of the person, (ii) determines that the person no longer meets the commitment criteria specified in subsection C of § 37.2-817, (iii) authorizes the release of the person, and (iv) provides a discharge plan.
1974, c. 351, § 37.1-67.1; 1975, cc. 237, 433; 1976, c. 671; 1980, c. 582; 1981, c. 463; 1986, cc. 478, 629; 1987, c. 96; 1988, c. 98; 1989, c. 716; 1990, cc. 429, 728; 1991, c. 159; 1992, c. 566; 1995, c. 844; 1996, cc. 343, 893; 1998, cc. 37, 594, 611; 2004, c. 737; 2005, c. 716; 2008, cc. 779, 850, 870; 2010, cc. 778, 825; 2022, c. 763; 2023, cc. 168, 169.