Title 25 — Mental and Physical Illness or Disability

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Committed individual" means an individual committed for custody and treatment pursuant to this chapter. 2. "Intellectual disability" means mental retardation as defined in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental…

The district court has original jurisdiction over the proceedings governed by this chapter. A proceeding pursuant to this chapter may be tried in any county in which the respondent resides or is located, or has committed any sexually predatory conduct, or if the respondent is an …

1. If it appears that an individual is a sexually dangerous individual, the state's attorney may file a petition in the district court alleging that the individual is a sexually dangerous individual and stating sufficient facts to support the allegation. 2. The petition and any p…

1. The department of corrections and rehabilitation shall maintain treatment records for any inmate who has been convicted of an offense that includes sexually predatory conduct. Approximately six months before the projected release date of the inmate, the department shall comple…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all adult and juvenile case files and court records of an alleged offense defined by chapters 12.1-20 and 12.1-27.2 must be retained for twenty-five years and made available to any state's attorney for purposes of investigation or proce…

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law requiring confidentiality of information about individuals receiving care, custody, education, treatment, or any other services from the state or any political subdivision, any confidential information about a respondent or committed …

Upon request, any confidential records provided to the state's attorney pursuant to this chapter must be made available to the respondent or committed individual, the attorney of the respondent or committed individual, a qualified expert charged with examining the respondent or c…

At any stage of a proceeding under this chapter, on application of any individual or on its own motion, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for a minor or an individual with an intellectual disability who is a respondent or witness or otherwise involved in the proceeding, i…

1. Upon the filing of a petition pursuant to this chapter, the court shall determine whether to issue an order for detention of the respondent named in the petition. The petition may be heard ex parte. The court shall issue an order for detention if there is cause to believe that…

1. Every respondent is entitled to legal counsel. Unless an appearance has been entered on behalf of the respondent, the court, within twenty-four hours from the time the petition was filed, exclusive of weekends or holidays, shall appoint counsel to represent the respondent. If …

If a respondent is detained pursuant to section 25-03.3-08, the state's attorney shall provide the respondent, or the respondent's guardian, if appropriate, with a copy of the petition filed with the court. The state's attorney shall provide the respondent with written notice of …

The respondent is entitled to a preliminary hearing within seventy-two hours of being taken into custody pursuant to an order of the court, excluding weekends and holidays, unless the respondent knowingly waives the preliminary hearing pursuant to section 25-03.3-09. The responde…

The evaluation must be conducted by one or more experts chosen by the commissioner. Whenever a respondent is subject to an evaluation pursuant to this chapter, the respondent may retain an expert to perform an evaluation or testify on the respondent's behalf. When the respondent …

If a committed individual also has been committed to the legal and physical custody of the department of corrections and rehabilitation, the director of the department of corrections and rehabilitation and the commissioner may consult one another and determine the appropriate pla…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any proceeding pursuant to this chapter, evidence of prior sexually predatory conduct or criminal conduct, including a record of the juvenile court, is admissible.

Any determination made pursuant to this chapter regarding whether a respondent is a sexually dangerous individual or has a congenital or acquired condition that is manifested by a sexual disorder, a personality disorder, or other mental disorder or dysfunction is inadmissible in …

1. A committed individual must remain in the care, custody, and control of the commissioner until, in the opinion of the commissioner, the individual is safe to be at large. 2. Each committed individual must have an examination of that individual's mental condition at least once …

1. Annually, the commissioner shall provide the committed individual with written notice that the individual has a right to petition the court for discharge. The notice must explain to the committed person when the committed person has a right to a hearing on the petition. The no…

The respondent has the right to an appeal from an order of commitment or an order denying a petition for discharge. Upon entry of an appealable order, the court shall notify the respondent of the right to appeal and the right to counsel. The notice of appeal must be filed within …

A person acting in good faith upon either actual knowledge or reliable information, who provides information to the state's attorney or the court pursuant to this chapter, is not subject to civil or criminal liability.

The department of health and human services, to the extent it has expended sums or provided services pursuant to this title, may seek civil recovery from the property of the respondent or committed individual. The department of health and human services must commence the action w…

The department of health and human services may adopt rules under chapter 28-32 to implement this chapter, but the rules may not restrict or limit the rights guaranteed by this chapter.

For so long as a committed individual is placed in and resides at a treatment facility, the committed individual has the same rights as other residents of the facility, subject to the following limitations and restrictions: 1. The individual's rights are subordinate to legitimate…

1. Following commitment of a sexually dangerous individual, the commissioner may conduct a risk management assessment of the committed individual for the purpose of determining whether the individual may be treated safely in the community on an outpatient basis. The commissioner …