California · Penal Code

PEN §1604: (a) Upon receipt by the committing court of the recommendation of the director of the state hospital or other treatment facility to which the person has been committed that the person may be eligible

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes court procedures for evaluating and approving outpatient status for individuals committed to state hospitals, requiring recommendations from treatment facilities and independent panels, court hearings within specified timeframes, and conditional approval with supervision plans.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Upon receipt by the committing court of the recommendation of the director of the state hospital or other treatment facility to which the person has been committed that the person may be eligible for outpatient status as set forth in subdivision (a)(1) of Section 1602 or 1603, the court shall immediately forward such recommendation to the independent evaluation panel described in Section 4360.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, prosecutor, and defense counsel. Notwithstanding any law, the court shall provide copies of the arrest reports and the state summary criminal history information to the panel. The panel shall share the recommendation and copies of the arrest reports and the state summary criminal history information with the community program director or designee. (b) Within 30 calendar days the community program director, designee, or panel, shall submit to the court and, when appropriate, to the director of the state hospital or other treatment facility, a recommendation regarding the defendant’s eligibility for outpatient status, as set forth in subdivision (a)(2) of Section 1602 or 1603 and the recommended plan for outpatient supervision and treatment. The plan shall set forth specific terms and conditions to be followed during outpatient status. The court shall provide copies of this report to the prosecutor and the defense counsel. (c) The court shall calendar the matter for hearing within 15 judicial days of the receipt of the report described in subdivision (b) and shall give notice of the hearing date to the prosecutor, defense counsel, the panel, and, when appropriate, to the director of the state hospital or other facility. In any hearing conducted pursuant to this section, the court shall consider the circumstances and nature of the criminal offense leading to commitment and shall consider the person’s prior criminal history. (d) The court shall, after a hearing in court, either approve or disapprove the recommendation for outpatient status. If the approval of the court is given, the defendant shall be placed on outpatient status subject to the terms and conditions specified in the supervision and treatment plan. If the outpatient treatment occurs in a county other than the county of commitment, the court shall transmit a copy of the case record to the superior court in the county where outpatient treatment occurs, so that the record will be available if revocation proceedings are initiated pursuant to Section 1608 or 1609.

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