                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

APPEAL OF INVOLUNTARY ADMISSION OR CERTIFICATION ORDER (§ 37.2-821)

A. Any person involuntarily admitted to an inpatient facility or ordered to
mandatory outpatient treatment pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA7; 37.2-814 through
37.2-819 or certified as eligible for admission pursuant to &#xA7; 37.2-806
shall have the right to appeal the order to the circuit court in the
jurisdiction where he was involuntarily admitted or ordered to mandatory
outpatient treatment or certified or where the facility to which he was admitted
is located. Choice of venue shall rest with such person. The court may transfer
the case upon a finding that the other forum is more convenient. The clerk of
the court from which an appeal is taken shall immediately transmit the record to
the clerk of the appellate court. The clerk of the circuit court shall provide
written notification of the appeal to the petitioner in the case in accordance
with procedures set forth in &#xA7; 16.1-112. No appeal bond or writ tax shall
be required, and the appeal shall proceed without the payment of costs or other
fees. Costs may be recovered as provided for in &#xA7; 37.2-804.

B. An appeal shall be filed within 10 days from the date of the order and shall
be given priority over all other pending matters before the court and heard as
soon as possible, notwithstanding &#xA7; 19.2-241 regarding the time within
which the court shall set criminal cases for trial. A petition for or the
pendency of an appeal shall not suspend any order unless so ordered by a judge
or special justice; however, a person may be released after a petition for or
during the pendency of an appeal pursuant to &#xA7; 37.2-837 or 37.2-838. If the
person is released during the pendency of an appeal, the appeal shall be in
accordance with the provisions set forth in &#xA7;&#xA7; 37.2-844 and 37.2-846.

C. The appeal shall be heard de novo in accordance with the provisions set forth
in &#xA7;&#xA7; 37.2-802, 37.2-804, 37.2-804.1, 37.2-804.2, and 37.2-805 and (i)
&#xA7; 37.2-806 or (ii) &#xA7;&#xA7; 37.2-814 through 37.2-819, except that the
court in its discretion may rely upon the evaluation report in the commitment
hearing from which the appeal is taken instead of requiring a new evaluation
pursuant to &#xA7; 37.2-815. Any order of the circuit court shall not extend the
period of involuntary admission or mandatory outpatient treatment set forth in
the order appealed from.

D. An order continuing the involuntary inpatient admission shall be entered only
if the criteria in &#xA7; 37.2-817 are met at the time the appeal is heard. An
order continuing mandatory outpatient treatment shall be entered only if the
criteria set forth in &#xA7; 37.2-817.01 are met at the time the appeal is
heard.

E. Upon a finding by the court that the appellant no longer meets the criteria
for involuntary admission or mandatory outpatient treatment, the court shall not
dismiss the Commonwealth&#8217;s petition but shall reverse the order of the
district court.

F. The person so admitted or certified shall be entitled to trial by jury. Seven
persons from a panel of 13 shall constitute a jury.

G. If the person is not represented by counsel, the judge shall appoint an
attorney to represent him. Counsel so appointed shall be paid a fee of $75 and
his necessary expenses. The order of the court from which the appeal is taken
shall be defended by the attorney for the Commonwealth.

HISTORY: 1977, c. 355, § 37.1-67.6; 1979, c. 204; 1980, c. 176; 1985, c. 106;
1990, c. 274; 2005, c. 716; 2006, c. 486; 2008, cc. 850, 870; 2010, cc. 544,
591; 2020, cc. 298, 1175; 2022, c. 763.