POWELL, Wyo. (AP) - The Wyoming Supreme Court says county attorneys must take a leading role in hearings to determine whether mentally ill patients should be held against their will.
Under the law, persons judged to be a danger to themselves or others because of mental illnesses can be held against their will after a commitment hearing is conducted.
Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric had left the commitment cases up to hospital attorneys over the past year, saying state law and another Supreme Court ruling were unclear or limited the role of prosecutors on the matter.
But the Supreme Court ruled that that it is Skoric’s duty to consider and present the commitment cases.
Skoric tells the Powell Tribune (https://bit.ly/1juZpQi ) that the decision makes sense to him and provides the clarification he had sought.
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Information from: Powell (Wyo.) Tribune, https://www.powelltribune.com
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