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253B.185 Procedures for commitment of persons with sexual psychopathic personalities and sexually dangerous persons.

Subdivision 1. General. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of this chapter pertaining to persons mentally ill and dangerous to the public apply with like force and effect to persons who are alleged or found to be sexually dangerous persons or persons with a sexual psychopathic personality. Before commitment proceedings are instituted, the facts shall first be submitted to the county attorney, who, if satisfied that good cause exists, will prepare the petition. The county attorney may request a prepetition screening report. The petition is to be executed by a person having knowledge of the facts and filed with the committing court of the county in which the patient has a settlement or is present. If the patient is in the custody of the commissioner of corrections, the petition may be filed in the county where the conviction for which the person is incarcerated was entered. Upon the filing of a petition alleging that a proposed patient is a sexually dangerous person or is a person with a sexual psychopathic personality, the court shall hear the petition as provided in section 253B.18.

Subd. 1a. Temporary confinement. During any hearing held under this section, or pending emergency revocation of a provisional discharge, the court may order the patient or proposed patient temporarily confined in a jail or lockup but only if:

(1) there is no other feasible place of confinement for the patient within a reasonable distance;

(2) the confinement is for less than 24 hours or, if during a hearing, less than 24 hours prior to commencement and after conclusion of the hearing; and

(3) there are protections in place, including segregation of the patient, to ensure the safety of the patient.

Subd. 2. Transfer to correctional facility. (a) If a person has been committed under this section and later is committed to the custody of the commissioner of corrections, the person may be transferred from a hospital to another facility designated by the commissioner of corrections as provided in section 253B.18; except that the special review board and the commissioner of human services may consider the following factors in lieu of the factors listed in section 253B.18, subdivision 6, to determine whether a transfer to the commissioner of corrections is appropriate:

(1) the person's unamenability to treatment;

(2) the person's unwillingness or failure to follow treatment recommendations;

(3) the person's lack of progress in treatment at the public or private hospital;

(4) the danger posed by the person to other patients or staff at the public or private hospital; and

(5) the degree of security necessary to protect the public.

(b) If a person is committed under this section after a commitment to the commissioner of corrections, the person shall first serve the sentence in a facility designated by the commissioner of corrections. After the person has served the sentence, the person shall be transferred to a regional center designated by the commissioner of human services.

Subd. 3. Not to constitute defense. The existence in any person of a condition of a sexual psychopathic personality or the fact that a person is a sexually dangerous person shall not in any case constitute a defense to a charge of crime, nor relieve such person from liability to be tried upon a criminal charge.

Subd. 4. Statewide judicial panel; sexual psychopathic personality and sexually dangerous persons commitments. (a) The supreme court may establish a panel of district judges with statewide authority to preside over commitment proceedings of sexual psychopathic personalities and sexually dangerous persons. Only one judge of the panel is required to preside over a particular commitment proceeding. Panel members shall serve for one-year terms. One of the judges shall be designated as the chief judge of the panel, and is vested with the power to designate the presiding judge in a particular case, to set the proper venue for the proceedings, and to otherwise supervise and direct the operation of the panel. The chief judge shall designate one of the other judges to act as chief judge whenever the chief judge is unable to act.

(b) If the supreme court creates the judicial panel authorized by this section, all petitions for civil commitment brought under subdivision 1 shall be filed with the supreme court instead of with the district court in the county where the proposed patient is present, notwithstanding any provision of subdivision 1 to the contrary. Otherwise, all of the other applicable procedures contained in this chapter apply to commitment proceedings conducted by a judge on the panel.

HIST: 1Sp1994 c 1 art 1 s 4; 1997 c 217 art 1 s 100; 1998 c 313 s 22

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