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2024 Florida Statutes

Title XXIX PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 397 SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES Entire Chapter
SECTION 6818
Court determination.
F.S. 397.6818
397.6818 Court determination.—
(1) When the petitioner asserts that emergency circumstances exist, or when upon review of the petition the court determines that an emergency exists, the court may rely solely on the contents of the petition and, without the appointment of an attorney, enter an ex parte order for the respondent’s involuntary assessment and stabilization which must be executed during the period when the hearing on the petition for treatment is pending.
(2) The court may further order a law enforcement officer or another designated agent of the court to:
(a) Take the respondent into custody and deliver him or her for evaluation to either the nearest appropriate licensed service provider or a licensed service provider designated by the court.
(b) Serve the respondent with the notice of hearing and a copy of the petition.
(3) The service provider may not hold the respondent for longer than 72 hours of observation, unless:
(a) The service provider seeks additional time under s. 397.6957(1)(c) and the court, after a hearing, grants that motion;
(b) The respondent shows signs of withdrawal, or a need to be either detoxified or treated for a medical condition, which shall extend the amount of time the respondent may be held for observation until the issue is resolved but no later than the scheduled hearing date, absent a court-approved extension; or
(c) The original or extended observation period ends on a weekend or holiday, including the hours before the ordinary business hours of the following workday morning, in which case the provider may hold the respondent until the next court working day.
(4) If the ex parte order was not executed by the initial hearing date, it is deemed void. However, if the respondent does not appear at the hearing for any reason, including lack of service, and upon reviewing the petition, testimony, and evidence presented, the court reasonably believes the respondent meets this chapter’s commitment criteria and that a substance abuse emergency exists, the court may issue or reissue an ex parte assessment and stabilization order that is valid for 90 days. If the respondent’s location is known at the time of the hearing, the court:
(a) Must continue the case for no more than 10 court working days; and
(b) May order a law enforcement officer or another designated agent of the court to:
1. Take the respondent into custody and deliver him or her for evaluation to either the nearest appropriate licensed service provider or a licensed service provider designated by the court; and
2. If a hearing date is set, serve the respondent with notice of the rescheduled hearing and a copy of the involuntary treatment petition if the respondent has not already been served.

Otherwise, the petitioner must inform the court that the respondent has been assessed so that the court may schedule a hearing as soon as is practicable. However, if the respondent has not been assessed within 90 days, the court must dismiss the case.

History.—s. 6, ch. 93-39; s. 749, ch. 95-148; s. 33, ch. 2016-241; s. 33, ch. 2024-245.