Appendix — Nelson v. Murphy
Supreme Court brief1995
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FILED
942053 WN 8 = 1995
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~~ OFFICE OF THE CLERA
In The
Supreme Court of the United States
October Term, 1994
WAYNE NELSON and ANTHONY MANOS,
Individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated,
Petitioners,
vs.
WILLIAM MURPHY, Acting Director
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities; ROALDA J.
ALDERMAN, Facility Director, Elgin
Mental Health Center; and TERRY BRELJE,
Associate Director for Forensic
Services, Department of Mental Health
and Developmental Disabilities,
Respondents.
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
APPENDIX TO
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
MARK J. HEYRMAN
COUNSEL OF RECORD
Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic
of the University of Chicago Law School
and United Charities of Chicago
6020 South University Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60637-2786
(312) 702-9611
Attorney for Petitioner
3n the
United States Court of Appeals
Hor the Seventh Circuit
No. 94-1764
WAYNE NELSON and ANTHONY MANOos,
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
WILLIAM Murpny, Acting Director of the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, et al.,
Defendants-Appellees.
Appeal from the United States District Court ,*.
for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division:
No: 90 C 3920—John A. Nordberg, Judge. 1' ;
ARGUED OCTOBER 25, 1994—Decipep JANUARY 4, 1995
Before CUDAHY, ESCHBACH, and EASTERBROOK,
Circuit Judges.
EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge. When a jury in Illinois
returns a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the
criminal court commits the defendant for a mental exam-
ination. 730 ILCS 5/5-2-4(a). If after receiving the results
of this examination the judge decides that the person is
mentally ill and dangerous, the judge must order the per-
son confined “in a secure setting”. Ibid. “Such defendants
placed in a secure setting shall not be permitted outside
the facility’s housing unit unless escorted”. Ibid. Notwith-.
standing this command, a court may permit a confined
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2 No. 94-1764
€rson to move freely on and off the facility’s grounds.
very 60 days the director of the mental health facility
“shall file a treatment plan with the court. . . . Such plan
may .. . include unsupervised on-grounds privileges, off-
grounds privileges (with or without escort .. .), home visits
and participation in work programs’’. 730 ILCS 5/5-2-4(b).
Wayne Nelson and Anthony Manos were found not guil-
by reason of insanity. Nelson had been charged with
murder, Manos with attempted murder. Each was found
mentally ill and dangerous, ordered confined “in a secure
setting’, and sent to the Elgin Mental Health Center. On
the recommendation of a treatment plan, both received
passes for on- and off-grounds travel. In December 1988
the criminal court approved a treatment plan that per-
mitted Nelson to move on-grounds from one activity to
another, and to leave the grounds on supervised travel
twice a month (but not to visit his home). In January 1988
the criminal court approved a treatment plan that gave
bn-grounds privileges, and in September
1989 the court granted Manos’s motion for supervised off-
grounds travel (but he, too, was not to visit his home).
In May 1990 two persons confined at Elgin escaped while
traveling on off-grounds passes. William Murphy, then the
I ded that security needed improve-
ment. He canceled all off-grounds passes and curtailed un-
escorted movement within the grounds while the facility
federal court under 42 U.S.C. §1983, contending that the
because it was a response to a breach of security rather
than an outgrowth of an individual evaluation. See Young-
berg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307 (1982). Litigation is proper
under §1983, rather than 28 U.S.C. §2254, because the
Scope of passes may be understood as a condition of con-
finement. See Graham v. Broglin, 922 F.2d 379 (7th Cir.
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No. 94-1764 3
1991) (request for placement in a work release program
may be adjudicated under §1983).
Plaintiffs believe that the due process clause forbids any
decisions applicable across the board to all inmates. They
sought injunctive relief and damages on behalf of a class
of all persons confined at Elgin after acquittal by reason
of insanity. The fence was completed in March 1991, but
on-grounds unsupervised travel has not been fully restored;
most inmates’ movement is supervised. In March 1994 the
district court dismissed the suit without prejudice to its
renewal in state court, concluding that abstention is ap-
propriate. 1994 U.S. Dist. Lexis 2896.
“As soon as practicable after the commencement of an
action brought as a class action, the court shall determine
by order whether it is to be so maintained.” Fed. R. Civ.
P. 23(cX1). This case was active on the district court’s
docket for three years and four months, but despite two
motions for class certification and full briefing by;the par-
ties the court never decided whether it could be maintained
as a class action. The court did not give a reason for this
inaction, and we do not perceive one. Prompt decision one
way or the other is imperative not only so that the par-
ties know whose interests are at issue but also so that
representative plaintiffs with live claims may be substi-
tuted. For a properly certified class action survives the
mootness of the original representative’s claims, while an
individual action must be dismissed in identical circum-
stances. Compare Sosna v. Iowa, 419 U.S. 398 (1975), with
Board of School Commissioners v. Jacobs, 420 U.S. 128
(1975). Both plaintiffs have been released from confine-
ment at Elgin—Manos in December 1990 and Nelson in
April 1993. See People v. Nelson, 244 Ill. App. 3d 356,
614 N.E.2d 277 (1st Dist. 1993). The district court did not
mention these releases, which moot plaintiffs’ request for
injunctive relief. Although each plaintiff is subject to re-
commitment for future misbehavior, that possibility was _
held insufficient to satisfy Article III in Weinstein v. Brad-
ford, 423 U.S. 147 (1975), which concluded that reléase
on parole moots a dispute about the procedures the state
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4 No. 94-1764
uses to make parole decisions. See also Murphy v. Hunt,
455 U.S. 478 (1982). A decision on class certification could
permit other inmates to carry on the quest for injunc-
tive relief, Parole Commission v. Geraghty, 445 U.S. 388
(1980), but two considerations counsel against a remand.
First, the small size of the putative class (fewer than 85
at all pertinent times) coupled with the fact that each in-
mate was entitled to (and several received) individual con-
sideration in state court suggests that the conditions for
class certification have not been met. Second, Nelson and
Manos have a live dispute with the defendants about dam-
ages, and our resolution of this dispute shows that class
certification would be imprudent.
The district court abstained under the principles of Bur-
ford v. Sun Oil Co., 319 U.S. 315 (1943). Burford held
that a federal court should abstain when the federal case
depends on the resolution of unsettled questions of state
law within the competence of an administrative agency—in
Burford itself, an agency regulating the oil industry. Plain-
tiffs observe that directives affecting passes from a single
state mental facility are some distance from a statewide
program of oil and gas regulation, and they add that noth-
ing in this case depends on the resolution of an unsettled
question of state law. The district court conceded all this
but thought Burford applicable because the rules govern-
ing the treatment of mentally ill persons are important to
the state. Although Illinois does not handle these matters
through an agency with statewide power, or even a court
of specialized jurisdiction, the district judge thought that
the criminal court supervising each person’s custody spe-
cializes in the details of that case: “While the Illinois cir-
cuit courts can hardly be said to [be] courts of technical
specialization, in this instance they are courts of individual
specialization.” }
Plaintiffs see this as proof that Burford cannot apply.
No agency, no Burford abstention. This oversimplifies mat-
— Five years ago the Court recapitulated the Burford
octrine: “t 9
No. 94-1764 +)
Where timely and adequate state-court review is avail-
able, a federal court sitting in equity must decline
to interfere with the proceedings or orders of state
administrative agencies: (1) when there are “difficult
questions of state law bearing on policy problems of
substantial public import whose importance transcends
the result in the case then at bar’; or (2) where the
“exercise of federal review of the question in a case
and in similar cases would be disruptive of state ef-
forts to establish a coherent policy with respect to
a matter of substantial public concern.”
New Orleans Public Service, Inc. v. New Orleans, 491
U.S. 350, 361 (1989) (VOPSDJ (citations omitted). This lan-
guage suggests that Burford is limited as plaintiffs pro-
pose. Yet two years ago the Court suggested that the
Burford doctrine might justify abstention in a domestic
relations case otherwise within the diversity jurisdiction,
when a state court is available to resolve difficult ques-
tions of state law. Ankenbrandt v. Richards, 112 S. Ct.
2206, 2216 (1992). If Burford abstention might be apt in
a domestic-relations dispute, an agency’s role cannot be
essential.
Still, it is hard to fit this dispute within Burford. Its
outcome does not depend on the answer to some unsettled
issue of state law. And far from using a single agency
or specialized court to “establish a coherent policy with
respect to a matter of substantial public concern”, Illinois
has divided responsibility among the many criminal courts
throughout the state. A decade ago, when a state judge
issued an injunction governing the handling of escape risks
at mental institutions, the Supreme Court of Illinois re-
versed on the ground that each judge supervising a per-
son in custody after an insanity acquittal is entitled to
consider the subject independently. People v. Roush, 101
Ill. 2d 355, 462 N.E.2d 468 (1984). Rowsh establishes that
Illinois does not seek a uniform policy toward all persons
situated similarly to plaintiffs, which makes the Burford
doctrine inapplicable.
PU tanta atest in hla Lar DO
6 No. 94-1764
In the district court defendants relied not only on Bur-
ford but also on Younger v, Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971).
The district court thought Younger irrelevant “because
plaintiffs do not seek to enjoin any state court proceeding.
Co. v. Texaco, Inc., 481 U.S. 1 (1987) (treating an injunc-
tion against execution of a money judgment rendered by
a state court as no better than an injunction against the
continuation of the state proceedings).
Illinois requires the criminal court to Supervise the con-
finement of persons found not guilty by reason of insan-
ity. Both Nelson and Manos were active litigants in state
court. As we have recounted, Nelson was especially ac-
the orders approving earlier treatment plans and thus con-
stituted contempt of court. No one doubts that the state
courts had jurisdiction to consider the precise constitu-
tional claims that have been raised in this litigation. The
A-6
No. 94-1764 7
cases pending in the courts of Illinois are continuations
of the original criminal prosecutions, and preserving a
state’s right to litigate criminal cases in its own courts
is the core of the Younger doctrine. Instead of present-
ing objections to the treatment plans, plaintiffs filed an
independent suit in federal court. Their briefs imply that
they made this choice because they were dissatisfied with
the relief that state courts had afforded to other inmates
at Elgin. But the limited relief may reflect not any restric-
tions on the state tribunal’s power, or any unwillingness
to entertain constitutional claims, but the shakiness of
plaintiffs’ arguments on the merits. We do not share plain-
tiffs’ apparent view that dissatisfaction with state courts’
handling of an issue justifies carting one’s claim off to fed-
eral court. a
There are exceptions to the Younger principle, but plain-
tiffs do not contend that any is applicable; they rest with
the district court’s conclusion that by not seeking an ex-
plicit injunction against the state court’s role they have
avoided Younger, and that conclusion is incorrect. Plain-
tiffs’ litigation strategy creates another potential argument.
Because they have been released, plaintiffs are not now
litigants in active criminal proceedings; the staff at Elgin
does not file new treatment plans, and there. is no state
forum in which plaintiffs may litigate their defenses to
the details of these plans. But the Supreme Court long
ago held that — may not avoid Younger by withhold-
ing defenses from the state proceeding and commencing
the federal suit as soon as the state case ends. Huffman
v. Pursue, Lid., 420 U.S. 592, 607-11 (1975).
“Federal post-trial intervention, in a fashion designed
to annul the result of a state trial, . . . deprives the States
of a function which quite legitimately is left to them, that
of overseeing trial court dispositions of constitutional is-
sues which arise in civil litigation over which they have
jurisdiction.” Jd. at 609 (footnote omitted). See also NOPSI,
491 U.S. at 369. What Huffman decried is, however, ex-
actly what plaintiffs want. Treatment plans to which ‘they
made no objection in the state tribunals supervising their
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8 No. 94-1764 1
treatment were put into effect; then plaintiffs sought to
annul this result in federal litigation. Younger bars such
a step.
Heck v. Humphrey, 114 S. Ct. 2364 (1994), holds that
a prisoner may not obtain damages for allegedly uncon-
stitutional conviction or imprisonment unless the convic-
tion or sentence has been reversed—a step that for state
Tine” entails exhaustion of state remedies under 28
‘S.C. §2254. Younger supports a complementary holding
for conditions of confinement that are actively supervised
by state courts. This is not at all to create an exhaustion
requirement for conditions-of-confinement litigation under
§1983. Felder v. Casey, 487 U.S. 131, 147-48 (1988), and
Patsy v. Board of Regents, 457 U.S. 496 (1982), hold that
there is none. But it is to say that an inmate already par-
ticipating in state litigation must make his Stand there
rather than areeapt the equivalent of federal-defense re-
moval by filing’an.independent §1983 suit. Actually these
plaintiffs are attempting state-defense removal too, argu-
ing that the revocation of the passes violated the courts’ -
earlier orders approving treatment plans that provided for
passes. Violation of a state court’s order is contempt of
court, not a violation of the Constitution. Pacelli v, deVito,
972 F.2d 871, 876 (7th Cir. 1992), By stressing the ten-
sion between defendants’ directives and the orders of the
state courts, plaintiffs make pellucid the fact that their
arguments should have been presented to the state courts.
We know from Deakins v. Monahan, 484 U.S. 193 (1988), ’
—_—— ee ee - «ngs eee “se se ©
and treatment) are heard by judges of the circuit courts,
which possess general jurisdiction. If a single wrong leads -
A-8
No. 94-1764 9
to both equitable relief and damages, judges of the cir-
cuit courts are empowered to provide both remedies. The
judge not only could have ordered the restoration of passes
but also could have made a monetary award for the period
between their revocation on May 30, 1990, and the date
of their restoration. Because the state courts were em-
wered to award both equitable and monetary relief,
ounger obliged plaintiffs to make all of their arguments
there. Any other approach would tolerate exactly the sort
of end run that Huffman forbids.
{ |
Younger is hardly the only doctrine designed to -protect
state forums. Res judicata (claim preclusion) and collateral
estoppel (issue preclusion) are fully applicable under §1983,
Migra v. Warren City School District Board of Educa-
tion, 465 U.S. 75 (1984), and may have undercut plain-
tiffs’ claims. They had an. opportunity to litigate, and their
failure to poy approval of the treatment plans’ does not
avoid the fact that they were approved. Harris Trust &
Savings Bank v. Ellis, 810 F.2d 700, 704-05 (7th Cir. 1987)
(Illinois law). Preclusion is, however, an affirmative defense,
which the defendants did not invoke. See David P. Cur-
rie, Res Judicata: The Neglected Defense, 45 U. Chi. L.
Rev. 317 (1977). Nelson and Manos might have been able
to avoid issue preclusion because their very quiescence
in the state proceedings meant that the approval was un-
contested, and issue preclusion rests on the disposition
of a contested element of the claim. Then there is the
Rooker-Feldman doctrine, which establishes that aggrieved
litigants may not use §1983 to contest the outcome of state
litigation. Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413 (1923);
District of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460
U.S. 462 (1983). Plaintiffs avoid this rule, however, be-
cause they challenge the alteration of their passes inde-
pendently of the courts’ approval of that alteration. GASH
Associates v. Village of nated 995 F.2d 726, 728 (7th
Cir. 1993). Younger and Huffman complete the picture. *:
Even when res judicata, Rooker-Feldman, and the exhaus-
tion doctrine of §2254 are inapplicable, a litigant dppos-
ing the state, in state court, on a subject of importance
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10 No. 94-1764
to the state, must use that forum for resolution of con-
stitutional defenses. Plaintiffs had, and did not use, a state
forum in which they could have presented the arguments
they now urge. Their deliberate bypass of the opportunity
to litigate in state court forecloses them from litigating
in federal court. Our conclusion that Younger rather than
Burford supplies the proper ground of decision does not
affect the district court’s judgment: the complaint must
be dismissed.
AFFIRMED
CupDAHY, Circuit Judge, concurring in part and dissent-
ing in part. _
This is in some respects a puzzling case, but I believe
we must start with first principles. It is a grave matter
to shut the federal courthouse doors in the face of litigants
who present claims over which there is federal jurisdic-
tion. Abstention is ‘an extraordinary and narrow excep-
tion” permissible only in “rare’”’ cases and then only on
grounds clearly recognized as adequate by the Supreme
Court. Allegheny County v. Masheda, 360 U.S. 185, 188
(1959); see also Trust & Investment Advisors, Inc. v. Hog-
sett, No. 93-2117, slip op. at 7 (7th Cir. Dec. 19, 1994).
In the matter before us I think that the district court
made bad law out of what may be a hard case. The ma-
jority, in an effort to devise a policy for what is at least
an unusual case, makes equally bad law. It would require
a stretch far beyond any recognized principles to see this
as a case for Burford abstention and the majority cor-
rectly addresses this issue. But, in so doing, it provides
an expansive interpretation of Younger which would au-
thorize closing the courthouse doors almost at will. eg ae
There are several reasons why Younger has no appli--. ae
cation here. First, this is not a case of a federal court ~
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No. 94-1764 11
attempting to enjoin a state proceeding. See Trust & In-
vestment Advisors, Inc., slip op. at 8 (Younger absten-
tion involves enjoining “judicial or judicial in nature” state
proceedings). Here there are at worst potentially parallel
proceedings and there is no showing that the federal pro-
ceedings will, “damage [] the state interest” as the ma-
jority suggests.
Second, there are no ongoing or pending state proceed-
ings to be interfered with here. Under Illinois law, the
Department of Mental Health (Department) is required
to file a treatment plan for each NGRI inmate with the
state court every 60 days. That plan, if the Department
so chooses, can recommend that an inmate be given on-
or off-grounds passes. If the court approves the treatment
plan, then the Department may allow the inmates to use
their passes. Both plaintiffs in this case had passes orig-
inally, but after two inmates escaped from Elgin, those
passes were summarily taken away by the Department
without any individual review administratively or by the
state courts. Passes were also taken away from the other
NGRI’s. After a security fence was built, some NGRI’s
were again given passes, but the passes now only allowed
movement in the very small area within the fence, and
only for a short time.
The majority implies that the plaintiffs have litigated
this issue and others relating to their confinement in state
court, with plaintiff Manos being so active that he even-
tually obtained his release. But the Magistrate Judge’s
findings of fact say that it was the Department which sub-
mitted a plan that “restored” the new passes to the plain-
tiffs and which suggested the release of plaintiff Manos.
In other words, the plaintiffs were not actively litigating
this issue; rather the status quo of the Department’s sug-
gesting treatment plans and the court’s approving them
simply continued. The Department decided what to sug-
gest as treatment, and it was the Department which-de- . ..
cided to remove passes without individual revjew, the
Department which decided that when it reintroduced passes *
they would be much more restrictive and the Department
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5
4
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12 ‘No. 94-1764
which decided not to suggest any more less-restrictive
passes. The plaintiffs are challenging the Department’s
decision to do away with their court-approved (and less-
restrictive) passes, not a decision by the state courts. Their
reason for going to federal court may simply reflect a con-
cern that the state courts may too routinely approve the
recommendations of Department employees.
It is true that the state courts retain jurisdiction of the
inmates at Elgin and must reapprove treatment plans every
60 days. The a retains some discretion in im-
plementing the plans. It is also true that the Department
may not be able to exercise its discretion should the court
order it to provide all the privileges approved in the plan.
But the fact that there may be a state remedy in exis-
tence but not invoked is certainly not grounds for Younger
or any other species of abstention. Not infrequently, fed-
eral and state courts may have jurisdiction to address
similar problem${but, unless federal méasures disrupt on-
going state proceedings, there are generally no grounds
for abstention.
Abstention is for the rare case, and this case surely fits
into the federal §1983 jurisprudence. We have also decided
similar cases brought by Elgin inmates in this court in
the past, and saw no reason to abstain then. For exam-
ple, in Johnson v. Brelje, 701 F.2d 1201 (7th Cir. 1983),
individuals found “unfit to stand trial” (USTs) brought
a §1983 claim against the Department of Mental Health
for its practice of assigning all USTs to a more secure
facility, for its failure to allow access to telephones and
for unduly restricting the movements of inmates around
the facility. In Maust v. Headley, 959 F.2d 644 (7th Cir.
1992), an Elgin inmate who had been transferred to the
more secure Chester Mental Health Center brought a
$1983 claim against the Department of Mental Health,
saying that the transfer and visitation restrictions imposed
by the Department violated his right to due process. In
both of these cases, the plaintiffs’ confinement was gov-
erned by a statute which required approval of UST treat-
ment plans by the state court, just like the statute at
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No. 94-1764 13
issue here governing NGRIs. Thus the plaintiffs in John-
son and Maust presumably had the same “ongoing rela-
tionship” with the state courts that plaintiffs here do. Yet
in both these cases we reached the merits with no talk
of abstention or Younger.
I do not therefore agree that Younger abstention ap-
plies, and I respectfully dissent.
A true Copy:
Teste:
Clerk of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
" |
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USCA AOTXXXC-92-001—Midwest Law Printing Co., Inc., Chicago—1-4-95
A-13
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3n the .
United States Court of Appeals
For the Seventh Circuit
No. 94-1764
WAYNE NELSON and ANTHONY MANOS,
a Plaintiffs-Appellants,
Vv.
WILLIAM Murpuy, Acting Director of the Department
of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, et al.,
Defendants-Appellees.
On Petition for Rehearing ri
4
Decipep Marcx 13, 1995
Before CupAHy, ESCHBACH, and EASTERBROOK, Circuit
Judges.
EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge. One of the arguments in
the petition for rehearing leads us to elaborate on our
initial opinion. Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971), ap-
lies to plaintiffs’ claim for damages only if the state
orum could have entertained a request for damages. We
wrote that, in Illinois, “{iJf a single wrong leads to both
equitable relief and damages, judges of the circuit courts -
are empowered to provide both remedies. The judge not
only could have ordered the restoration of passes but also
could have made a monetary award for the period be-
tween their revocation on May 30, 1990, and the date of
their restoration.” Slip op. 8-9. Plaintiffs insist that this
is incorrect—that only the state’s Court of Claims may
A-14
ts Sgt in RIN
2 No. 94-1764
award damages. If that is so, then Deakins v. Monahan,
484 US. 193 (1988), entitles plaintiffs to pursue damages
in federal court free from any inhibition of the Younger
doctrine.
The petition for rehearing asserts that “damage claims
against the State of Illinois and its employees can only
be maintained in the Illinois Court of Claims.” The asser-
tion is wrong. That court possesses exclusive jurisdiction
of all claims against the state itself, 705 ILCS 505/8, but
not of claims against state employees. Illinois deems some
suits against employees to be suits against the state, and
therefore to come within the Court of Claims’ exclusive
jurisdiction, but the Supreme Court of Illinois makes the
same distinction as the Supreme Court of the United
States did in Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123 (1908), and
Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 169-70 (1985): suits
against a public employee in his official capacity are suits
against the state; suits against the employee in his per-
sonal capacity are not suits against the state; and a suit
seeking damages for misconduct (in particular, for a viola-
tion of the Constitution) usually is a personal-capacity suit.
The circuit courts, rather than the Court of Claims, possess
jurisdiction “‘when it is alleged that the State’s agent
acted in violation of statutory or constitutional law, or in ~
excess of his authority”. Healy v. Vaupel, 133 Ill. 2d 295,
308, 549 N.E.2d 1240, 1247 (1990). See also, e.g., Senn
Park Nursing Center v. Miller, 104 Ml. 2d 169, 188, 470
N.E.2d 1029, 1038-39 (1984). Plaintiffs allege that their
jailers acted in violation of the Constitution of the United
States and the laws of Illinois. The circuit court therefore
could have awarded damages, if plaintiffs were entitled
to that relief on the merits. But plaintiffs never presented
their arguments to the state tribunals, and as our orig-
inal opinion explains they may not disdain opportunities
in ongoing state litigation and later seek relief in federal
court.
The petition for rehearing is denied. No judge in ac-
tive service has called for a vote on the suggestion sof
rehearing en banc, which is rejected. ad
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No. 94-1764 3
Cupany, Circuit Judge, Dissenting.
I dissented in the main case, Nelson v. Murphy, 44 F.3d
497 (7th Cir. 1995), from the remarkable conclusion that
Younger abstention could apply when there was no federal
attempt to enjoin a state proceeding, and, in fact, where
there was no ongoing or pending state proceeding with
which to interfere. There are more fundamental reasons
to reject the majority’s view here than whether these
damage claims may be brought exclusively in the Court
of Claims. Therefore, with the utmost respect, I dissent
from the present opinion and order and would grant the
petition for rehearing.
Vhs: Bate 2 ad AE NIB att ASG LY OBL Re THAAD CAN IONS
A true Copy:
i Teste:
Clerk of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
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A-16
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
: FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
WAYNE NELSON, et al.,
J Plaintiffs,
nies
Vv. No. 90 C 3920
WILLIAM MURPHY, et al.
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
BACKGROUND
GE GEE cit PB DG NA SARE AGEL LSA EASE:
Plaintiffs Anthony Manos and Wayne
q Nelson were both charged with crimes
under Illinois law but found not guilty
by reason of insanity. Pursuant to
Illinois' Criminal Code, Ill. Rev. Stat.
ch. 38, para. 1005-2-4, plaintiffs were
separately admitted to the Elgin Mental
Health Center, a state-run facility, as
| forensic patients. Under the terms of §
1005-2-4 the director of the Elgin
A-17
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3
Center, a defendant in this case, is
required to submit a treatment plan to
the court for each forensic patient
every sixty days, evaluating the
patient's progress and the extent to
which they are benefitting from
treatment. The treatment plan may also
include privileges to move about the
grounds of the facility unsupervised, or
leave the facility with or without
Supervision for limited periods of time,
provided they have been approved by
specific court order. In issuing such an
order, the supervising court is entitled
to impose such conditions as are aud
necessary to assure the patient's
Satisfactory progress in treatment, and
the safety of the patient and others.
Tll. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, para. 1005-2-
A-18
coppsstinsesa alla
4(b). Forensic patients at Elgin Mental
Health Center received passes for on or
off-grounds privileges only after a
thorough, multi-tiered assessment of
their propriety in each individual case.
Prior to May 1990, plaintiffs,
along with other forensic patients at
the facility, had been granted such
passes. On May 30, 1990, after two
patients escaped through the use of off-
grounds passes, all passes of forensic
patients at the center were summarily
suspended. Plaintiffs have never
received another individualized review
to determine whether they were still
appropriate candidates for passes.
Subsequently, the center has issued on-
grounds passes which allow forensic
patients to move within a fenced-in
A-19
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space of the facility under supervision,
allowing unsupervised movement only for
extremely limited periods of time.
Plaintiffs have filed suit against
defendants, the director and associate
director of the Illinois Department of
Mental Health, and the director of the
Elgin Mental Health Center, alleging the
suspension of their passes, without any
subsequent hearing to determine the
appropriateness of the suspension,
violates their rights under the Due
Process Clause. Plaintiffs have asked
for monetary and injunctive relief.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
This case was initially assigned to
Judge Bua. At its inception, plaintiffs
moved for certification of a class of
A-20
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all individuals admitted to Elgin Mental
Health Center pursuant to § 1005-2-4 in
possession of on or off-grounds passes
which were revoked on or about May 31,
1990. Plaintiff's motion for class
certification is still pending before
the court. Plaintiffs had also moved
for a preliminary injunction restoring
all passes suspended at the end of May
30, 1990, and prohibiting future
suspensions of passes for periods of
greater than 72 hours without a judicial
hearing. In their response to
plaintiffs' motion, defendants raised
the question of whether abstention was
appropriate in this case under either
Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971),
Or Bucford v. Sun Oil, 319 U.S. 315
(1943). Judge Bua referred those
A-21
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portions of the motion addressing the
factual basis for a preliminary
injunction to Magistrate Judge
Pallmeyer.
The magistrate judge held an
evidentiary hearing and issued a report
and recommendation concluding that
plaintiffs were entitled to a
preliminary injunction. A search of the
official case record reveals that the
abstention question has yet to be
resolved. Pragmatism dictates the court
address it now.
ANALYSIS
Lack of subject-matter jurisdiction
is never waivable. U.S, v. Stillwell,
900 F.2d 1104, 1110 (7th Cir. 1990);
cert. denied, 498 U.S. 838 (1990). The
court may examine the question of its
A-22
jurisdiction and dismiss an action, be
it via the suggestion of the parties or
otherwise, at any time. Fed. R. Civ. P.
12(h)(3).’ Consideration of defendants’
motion to abstain from the exercise of
jurisdiction is therefore appropriate
despite the passage of time since the
filing of this case, and its progress on
the merits. Further, it is more than
appropriate, it is necessary. A judge
has no power to decide a case over which
he lacks subject-matter jurisdiction.
Stauffacher v, Bennett, 969 F.2d 455,
459 (7th Cir. 1992), cert. denied, 113
S. Ct. 814 (1992).
' In any event, it can not be argued
that defendants waived this issue by
failing to base an objection to the
report and recommendation on this
ground, because the issue of abstention
was never before the magistrate judge
for consideration.
A-23
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The federal courts have a
"virtually unflagging obligation" to
exercise the jurisdiction given them.
District v, U.S,, 424 U.S. 800, 817
(1976). Abstention from the exercise of
such ju sdiction is the exception, not
the rulc Id., at 813. Defendants
nevertheless suggest that two of the
four permissible forms of abstention are
appropriate here. First, defendants
suggest that the court should refrain
from the exercise of jurisdiction under
Younger abstention, which indicates a
federal court should abstain from
exercising its jurisdiction when it has
been invoked to restrain a state
criminal proceeding. Although Younger
abstention may be applied to suits to
A-24
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enjoin state civil proceedings if the
state's interest in the proceeding is
important enough to implicate federal-
state comity, Pennzoil Co, y. Texaco.
Znc., 481 U.S. 1, 11 (1987); see also
Huffman v. Pursue, Ltd., 420 U.S. 592,
594 (1975), it is inapplicable here
because plaintiffs do not seek to enjoin
any state court proceeding. It is true
plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, but
against Illinois' Department of Mental
Health, not the Illinois courts.
Defendant's second assertion, that
Burford abstention applies, presents an
altogether more serious basis for
declining jurisdiction. Burford
abstention is appropriate either where
the court is presented with difficult
questions of state law bearing on policy
A-25
sii abs
away Cahie
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problems of substantial import whose
importance transcends the result in the
case at bar, or where the exercise of
federal review of the question in a case
and in similar cases would be disruptive
of state efforts to establish a coherent
policy with respect to a matter of
substantial public concern. Colorado
River. 424 U.S. at 814. This case
presents a claim for the second type of
Burford abstention.
The burden of the circumstances
requiring Burford abstention lies with
the proponent of abstention. Property £&
Casualty Insurance Limited v. Central
National Insurance Companv of Omaha, 936
F.2d 319, 326 (7th Cir. 1991). The
presence of federal question
jurisdiction may raise the level of
A-26
a |
justification needed for abstention,
Colorado River, 424 U.S. at 815, n. 21,
but it does not preclude abstention.
See also New Orleans Public Services.
inc, Vv. Council of City of New Orleans
(*"NOPSI*), 109 S. Ct. 2506, 2516 (1989)
(mere assertion of a federal
Q
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ro)
6p)
ct
t
ltutional challenge along will not
compel exercise of jurisdiction).
ndeed, one of the bases for
Jurisdiction in Burford was a claim
Court upheld the decision of the Fifth
Circuit that this was not fatal to
Burford abstention, which could be based
on reluctance to intrude into a complex
regulatory scheme of paramount local
concern which demands local expertise.
Mores, £09 S. Ct. at 2514.' Instead, the
court declined to exercise Burford
abstention on the basis that taking
jurisdiction would not disrupt state
efforts at uniform treatment of a local
problem because a bare facial inquiry
indicated that federal preemption
applied. TId., at 2515. These
circumstances are not applicable here.
Factors to be considered in
determining whether to apply Burford
abstention include 1) whether the suit
1s based on a cause of action which is
A-28
exclusively federal, 2) whether
difficult or unusual state laws are at
issue, 3) whether there is a need for
coherent state doctrine in the area, and
4) whether state procedures indicate a
desire to create special state fora to
adjudicate the issues presented.
General Railway Signal Co. v. Corcoran,
921 F.2d 706, 709 (7th Cir. 1991). The
last of these factors has more recently
been elevated to the level of a
prerequisite for abstention. That is,
the state must provide a forum which
Stands in a special relationship to
technical oversight or concentrated
review to evaluation of the claims at
issue. Property & Casualtv Insurance,
$36 F.2a at 323.
A-29
The court finds tnat defendants
have met this prerequisite. A circuit
court judge maintains jurisdiction over
a patient he or she commits to a mental
institution pursuant to § 1005-2-4.
People v. Roush, 101 I11.2d 355, 462
N.E.2d 468, 472 (1984). This
jurisdiction continues even after the
expiration of a term of a conditional
release, Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, para.
1005-2-4-(h). People v. Butler, 194
Iii. ADp.3d 297, $50 N.E.2d 1250, 1253
(1 Dist. 1990). Further, the clear
intent behind the provision of §§ 1005-
2-4(b)&(h), requiring submission of
regular treatment plans to the court and
providing for orders of conditional
release, was to enable the circuit court
judge to monitor the progress in
A-30
: 4 56) © ‘bs Ngee
AG Age eA el
VEC AIR
Sehr ee eR Set eis Ae al
eS PEG. eta RE eet tana aCe ACNE ALAA ane aera entpaanan tape sivencatmendpernaamnrnentet dquo Te <> me
treatment of defendants committed under
this section, and to give the court
authority to direct the Department of
Mental Health in performing its duties
in this regard. People v. Valdez, 79
Til .2a 74, 402 8.8.24 167,: 1593-11980) .
While the Illinois circuit courts can
hardly be said to courts of technical
specialization, in this instance they
are courts of individual specialization.
The system of judicial oversight erected
by § 1005-2-4 provides that treatment
and commitment decision for a defendant
under the section are reviewed by judges
intimately and continuously involved
with the facts of that particular case.
This is sufficient to constitute the
kind of technical oversight contemplated
by the Property £ Casualty Insurance
A-31
rae
0 ahi a Ri IRS “
Fett eel
court.
Turning to the other factors
employed in deciding questions of
Burford abstention, the state and
federal courts have concurrent
jurisdiction over plaintiffs' due
process claim.* On the other hand,
Illinois law on the commitment of
defendant found not guilty by reason of
insanity is neither difficult nor
unusual, although as discussed supra,
NOPSI shows that this is not
particularly crucial. Hence,
application of Burford abstention turns
on the existence of Illinois need for
coherent doctrine in the area of the
*
—
Rather than being merely a factor
in deciding whether to apply Burford
abstention, the existence of concurrent
jurisdiction should be a prerequisite as
well.
A-32
i
4
A
8
2
x
€
4
aNd Ne aes dates ¥
yo 0 oan
treatment of § 1005-2-4 defendants.
When inquiring into the
substantiality of a state's interest in
its proceedings, the court does not
dwell on the state's interest in the
outcome of a particular case, but on the
importance of the generic proceedings to
the state. NOPSI, 109 S. Ct. at 2516.
In this case, the state of Illinois’
rcenaiie in enacting § 1005-2-4 were to
protect society from potentially
dangerous mentally ill persons and
protect these persons from themselves,
to treat them for their illness, and to
prevent them from being
institutionalized indeterminately.
People v. Winston, 191 Ill. App.3d 948,
548 N.E.2d 406, 414 (1 Dist. 1989),
disapproved on other grounds People y
A-33
°, ee
ash. .
Palmer, 148 I11.2d 70, 592 N.E.2d 940
(1992); People v. Williams, 140 I1l.
App.3d 216, 488 N.E.2d 649, 653 (1 Dist.
1986); Beople v. Largoo, 132 :111.:-App.3d
594, 478 N.E.2d 439, 444 (1 Dist. 1985),
disapproved on other grounds People y
Palmer, 148 I11.2d 70, 592 N.E.2d 940
(1992); People v. Hampton, 121 111.
App.3d 273, 459 N.E.2d 985, 987 (1 Dist.
1983). These are certainly interests of
substantial importance. Further the
State has created a system of
Supervision of § 1005-2-4 defendants
which prohibits major changes in a
defendant's treatment plan or status
without individual review by a judge
already familiar with the history of
that defendant.
In Rousn, the Illinois Supreme
A-34
aoa titieathPNNb a Pe alates dah WARS
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Court reviewed two lower court decisions
concerning the same problem presented
here, the escape of § 1005-2-4
defendants. See also People v. Schyve,
bia 2hhe Bopeee@ 777, 445 N.E.2d 1261 (1
Dist. 1983). In particular, the facts
in the Roush case involved an inmate at
the Manteno Mental Health Center who
escaped while out on an unsupervised on-
grounds pass with his parents. The
circuit court judge in Schyve issued
Orders requiring the Department of
Mental Health to identify all § 1005-2-4
defendants who were dangerous to others,
segregate them in a secure area, and
given ten days notice to the court
before transferring any of them to a
less secure area. The Supreme Court
held that since the orders were directed
A-35
at all patients in Illinois, most of
whom had never appeared before the judge
and were committed to institutions by
other judges, they were invalid. Roush
case indicates that by seeking
generalized injunctive relief in federal
court, the very kind of relief Roush
prohibits, plaintiffs lawsuit disrupts
Illinois' efforts to establish a
coherent policy in the treatment of §
1005-2-4 defendants.
This result appears to be
counterintuitive at first glance,
because a general injunction would
produce uniform results for all § 1005-
2-4 defendants. However in this case,
general orders-of relief are
antithetical to a state system based on
individualized review of each patient by
A-36
a particular judge.* The members of the y
purported plaintiff class, who are
provided counsel by the statute, Ill.
Rev. Stat. ch. 38, para. § 1005-2-4, may
receive the injunctive relief they seek
before the circuit judge who committed
them to the Elgin Mental Health Center,
with or without raising their due
process claim.
Plaintiffs' only rejoinder to this
conclusion, raised indirectly in their
reply brief to the motion for class
certification, is that presentation of
the factual issues involved before the
appropriate circuit court judge would be
‘The irony, of course, is that the
gravamen of plaintiffs' due process
Claim is the alleged lack of such
individualized review in defendants’
decisions to suspend on and off-grounds
passes.
A-37
em SR Em eatnaeniednnss ad emteneeteate ne ee —
futile because the Department of Mental
Health has already indicated they will
not comply with any court order
reinstating on or off-grounds passes.
Plaintiffs only evidence of this
allegation is a memorandum from
defendant Brelje Stating the Department
of Mental Health's grounds for the
Suspension of passes, and Opining that
issuing unsupervised passes would not be
a good idea until a security fence is
constructed. This is hardly sufficient
evidence that defendants will refuse to
comply with an order from the Circuit
court. Further, the law is clear that
defendants cannot do so. Valdez, 402
N.E.2d at 193. tI¢£ they do so wilfully,
they may be found in criminal contempt
Of court. Roush, 462 N.E.2d at 472.
A-38
a te tee ee et Ce Te ee
Plaintiffs' support for their
assertions that they have not waived the
Opportunity to raise the issues of
passes before the state court, or that
forensic patients holding passes have
not been allowed to use them, is equally
unimpressive. Plaintiff Nelson also
asserts in an affidavit that he has
never waived an opportunity to get back
his on or off-grounds passes or told
anyone he did not want his passes back.
However, affidavit also states that
plaintiff declined to participate ina
hearing about his passes. Further, the
affidavit of Mr. Nelson's attorney at
the hearing does not state that the
issue of passes has been raised.
The only support for the argument
that patients, Specifically one Curtis
A-39
Littrice, have not been able to use
their passes is a statement in Mr.
Nelson's affidavit that he has never
seen Mr. Littrice leaving the building
in which they are both housed. Unless
Mr. Nelson spends his days with his face
pressed to the window this does not
create a particularly strong inference.
The absence of an affidavit from Mr.
Littrice himself is notable.
CONCLUSION
“9
The court finds that the exercise
of its jurisdiction over this case would
be disruptive of state efforts to
establish a coherent policy with respect
to a matter of substantial public
concern. Accordingly, the court
abstains from the exercise of
jurisdiction. Plaintiffs’ complaint is
A-40
dismissed without prejudice.‘
Plaintiffs' motions for class
certification and for a preliminary
injunction are denied as moot.
ENTER:
JOHN A. NORDBERG
United States District Judge
DATED:
* The court does not retain
jurisdiction over the case, and the
parties must look to the state courts to
resolve this dispute. Gordon G. Young
Federal Court Abstention and State
Administrative Law From Burford to
Ankenbrandt: Fifty Years of Judicial
Federalism Under Burford v. Sun Oi] Co.
and Kindred Doctrines, 42 DePaul L. Rev.
859, 870-71 (1993). The only further
federal court involvement would be
certiorari from the state court
proceedings to the Supreme Court. Id,
at Gri, n. 38.
A-41
NO. 90 C 3920
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
WAYNE NELSON and ANTHONY MANOS,
Individually and on behalf of all
others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,
Vv.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
WILLIAM MURPHY, Acting Director, )
Department of Mental Health and )
Developmental Disabilities; and )
ROALDA J. ALDERMAN, Facility )
Director, Elgin Mental Health )
Center; and TERRY BRELJE, PH.D., )
Associate Director for Forensic )
Services, Department of Mental )
Health and Developmental )
Disabilities, )
)
)
Defendants.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
In May 1990, Plaintiffs Wayne
Nelson and Anthony Manos were "forensic
patients" at the Elgin Mental Health
Center, a state-run mental health
facility. Forensic patients are persons
A-42
charged with or convicted of a crime who
have been committed to the care of the
State because of a judicial
determination that they are not fit to
Stand trial or not guilty by reason of
insanity. Despite this status, prior to
May 1990, Nelson and Manos, as well as
other forensic patients, were granted
court-approved passes to walk without
Supervision for limited periods on the
grounds of the Elgin facility ("grounds
passes") and to travel with others for
limited periods away from the facility
(“off -grounds passes"). On May 30, ‘
1990, state officials abruptly suspended
the passes for all forensic patients.
Nelson and Manos bring this action on
behalf of themselves and Similarly
Situated forensic patients against
A-43
directors of the Illinois Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities (hereinafter, "“DMHDD" or
“the Department"), challenging the
department's decision to Suspend passes
as a deprivation of liberty without due
process.°
Plaintiffs' complaint, brought
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 ("Section
1983") sounds in three counts. Count I
alleges a deprivation of Plaintiffs’
* Plaintiffs seek to represent a
class of forensic patients who enjoyed
grounds passes and off-grounds passes
prior to May 31, 4990, but the class has
not been certified, nor has the class
certification motion been briefed.
Moreover, the motion for class
certification has not been referred.
Therefore this report addresses only
individual Plaintiffs' claims for
relief, but recognizes that much of what
1s concluded here may well be applicable
to circumstances involving other
forensic patients.
A-44
Statutory right to treatment in the
"lease restrictive environment" as a
result of Defendants' failure to provide
Plaintiffs with a hearing individualized
determination, or professional judgment
regarding whether they continued to
qualify for a grounds pass or an off-
grounds pass prior to the suspension of
their pass privileges. Count II asserts
that Plaintiffs were deprived of their
Statutory right to adequate and humane
Services pursuant to an individualized
treatment plan when Defendants failed to
provide them with an individualized
determination based upon professional
judgment that they no longer qualified
for the passes. Count III alleges a
deprivation of Plaintiffs'
constitutional right to freedom from
A-45
unreasonable restraint resulting from
pete decision to suspend the pass
privileges without exercise of a
qualified professional judgment.
On November 15, 1990, District
Judge Nicholas J. Bua referred the case
to Magistrate Judge Joan B. Gottschall
for a report and recommendation on
Plaintiffs' motion for preliminary
injunction.® In January 1991,
Plaintiffs moved to compel responses to
* In his minute order dated November
15, 1990, Judge Bua directed that the
parties present evidence at a hearing
before the magistrate judge on a number
of specific issues, including the
Procedures for obtaining or for revoking
a grounds or off-grounds pass; whether
any passes had been reinstated; and the
extent to which Elgin residents are
permitted on the grounds without passes.
The court expressly reserved ruling on
Plaintiffs' motion for class
certification pending the magistrate
judge's report and recommendation on the
Preliminary injunction motion.
A-46
.
yx
WHEN
AND
oa
os
~
7
~
EE GEN RET Rey 1: ee RTE eaten gS POLLAN A RA PTET Re NR ee
3 . /
(i scovery requests. On October 10,
ae the referral was transferred to
these chambers. Defendants did not
ae fully with outstanding discovery
pntil directed to do so by this court in
January 1992. Parties presented
a
evidence on Plaintiffs' motion for
preliminary injunction on June 3 and 4,
992, and submitted post-hearing
remoranda on June 22, 1992.
| Before the court is Plaintiffs'
rotion for a preliminary injunction
Sibi fie that this court isgue an
order which restores to Plaintiffs all
basses Suspended on May 30, 1990 and
Enjoins defendants from suspending such
passes in the future in the absence of a
Predeprivation hearing which complies
Wich due process.
A-47
FINDINGS OF FACT
Evidence presented at a two-day
hearing in June 1992 supports the
following findings:
Elgin Mental Health Center
("Elgin") is a facility of the Illinois
DMHDD that houses approximately 300
forensic residents. The forensic unit
at Elgin is composed of individuals
found not guilty by reason of insanity
("NGRI") and/or unfit to stand trial
ie?! eae ae
a At ail relevant times,
Defendant William Murphy was the
Director of the Illinois DMHDD.
Defendant Terry Brelje was the Associate
Director for Policy and Special Programs
of the DMHDD. Defendant Roalda Alderman
was the Facility Director at Elgin.
A-48
Lenulsinytnedidenbaumanukdn ee
re At all times relevant to this
motion, named Plaintiffs Wayne Nelson
and Anthony Manos were confined to Elgin
ee
as unfit to stand trial or as not guilty
by reason of insanity. Under Ill. Rev.
Stat. ch. 38 4 104-17, a defendant
i
unfit to stand trial by reason of mental
disability “shall be placed in a secure
setting” in the custody of DMHDD. Under
Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38 4 1005-2-4, a
defendant found not guilty by reason of
insanity and in need of mental health
services likewise “shall be placed in a
secure setting” in the custody of DMHDD.
Manos was committed as UST from January
1986 and as NGRI from October 1986.
Nelson was committed as NGRI in October
1986. Both Nelson and Manos were placed
in the forensic unit at Elgin.
A-49
Re re te eee a
ial, hae ea Ne Mn a Se.
4. Illinois law requires that the
DMHDD file a treatment plan for each
Pd
forensic patient every 60 days with the
court. Ill. Rev. State. ch 38, 4g 1005-
2-4(b). The statute provides expressly
that the plan may include pass
privileges, “but only where such
privileges have been approved by
specific court order, which order may
include such conditions on the defendant
as the Court may deem appropriate and
necessary to reasonably assure
progress in treatment and the safety of
the defendant and others." Id.
~ Ernest Marquez, the Assistant
Facility Director responsible for
administering the forensic treatment
program at Elgin, described the
following DMHDD procedures for
A-50
we
requesting a court-authorized grounds
pas or off grounds pass for a forensic
patient. First the patient's treatment
team (consisting of the patient's unit
director, a psychiatrist, psychologist,
social worker, and other nursing or
Paraprofessional staff) reviews records
and considers the appropriateness of
pass privileges for a particular patient
in light of the team's knowledge of, and
experience with, that patient. If the
team determines that a pass is
appropriate, then a staff meniber
prepares a packet of information for,
review by Dr. Marquez. -If Dr. Marquez
approves the request Foe a pass, he in
turn submits the package to Defendant
Roalda Alderman, the Facility Director.
Following her review, the materials are
A-51
submitted to the Department's Associate
Director, Defendant Brelje. Upon Dr.
Brelje's approval, the packet of
materials is returned to the facility,
anata, under Ms. Alderman's direction,
the materials are used for preparation
of a court petition. A judge of the
Circuit Court must review and approve
the petition before a pass is issued for
any forensic patient.
6. Plaintiff Anthony Manos, a
graduate of the University of Illinois
who served in Army ROTC, was admitted to
Elgin as unfit to stand trial in January
1986. Six months later, Mr. Manos was
found not guilty by reason of insanity
and returned to Elgin in October 1986.
In January 1988, following the
procedures described above, Defendant
A-52
Alderman submitted a petition to the
Circuit Court of Cook County seeking
approval of a grounds pass for Plaintiff
eos: In February 1988, the Circuit
Court issued an order granting Manos a
grounds pass. Manos used this pass to
be on the grounds of Elgin unaccompanied
for gradually increasing periods of
time. His longest periods spanned up to
three hours, during which he went to the
commissary or the workshop, or engaged
in various educational, social and
recreational activities. Manos
testified that his pass helped him to
maintain and establish family
relationships. Specifically, he used
his grounds pass to visit weekly with
his parents in a cafeteria at Elgin.
Further, while exercising his pass
A-53
privileges in 1988, Manos met Linda
Turner, a non-forensic patient, whom
Manos plans to marry in 1993. At the
preliminary injunction hearing, Manos
recalled crying with joy when he first
received his pass. He testified to his
saond memories" of "many, many times on
the grounds" at Elgin exercising pass
privileges.
os In March 1990, Defendant
Alderman petitioned the Circuit Court of
Cook erie for approval of an
unsupervised off-grounds pass for Manos.
As described earlier, the request was
reviewed first by staff, then ay OS.
Marquez, and finally by Dr. Brelje.
The Circuit Court issued an order
authorizing an off-grounds pass for
Manos. This pass permitted Manos to be
\
A-54
off the grounds of Elgin once a week for
periods of up to six or seven hours,
provided that Manos gave Elgin staff a
schedule in advance of is departure.
Manos used his off-grounds pass
approximately three times a month to
visit family members and to go to
movies, bowling alleys, and stores.
8. Wayne Nelson is a 1975 high
school graduate who was honorably
discharged from the United States Air
Force in 1979. In 1980, Nelson killed
his girlfriend and attempted suicide.
Nelson was found not guilty of criminal
charges against him by reason of
insanity and was committed to the
forensic unit at Elgin in 1986. In
November 1988, following the procedures
describe above, Defendant Alderman
A-55
proposed to the Circuit Court that
Plaintiff Nelson be given both a grounds
pass and supervised off-grounds pass.
The Circuit Court issued an order
granting Nelson the passes on December
20, 1988.
9. The grounds pass permitted
Nelson to be on the grounds of Elgin
unaccompanied for periods of up to one
hour at a time and allowed Nelson to go
to the commissary, library, and
education center. The grounds pass
also allowed Nelson to participate in
other recreational and social activities
such as walking, jogging, bike riding,
guitar playing, and meeting with
friends. Nelson utilized his off-
grounds pass to visit family, go to
movies, and attend social events at the
A-56
V.F.W.
10. Approximately 80 patients at
Elgin had grounds or off-grounds passes
on May 30, 1990. Each of these passes
had been issued only after all of the
procedures described above had been
Satisfied -- in other words, the Circuit
Court issued each pass only after
recommendations had been supplied by
treatment staff. Dr. Marquez, Dr.
Brelje, and Director Alderman.
11. In May 1990, two persons
acquitted by reason of insanity escaped
from Elgin during the exercise of their
pass privileges. Although one was
apprehended quickly, another remained at
large and has not to date been
apprehended. Only days before his
escape, this second individual had
A-57
warned Elgin staff of his intention to
leave. In spite of the warning, no ,
action was taken to suspend this
individual's pass privileges. The
escapes generated a large amount of
negative publicity for DMHDD. Within a
couple of days of the escapes, Defendant
Murphy met with other members of the
DMHDD staff, including Defendant Brelje.
Murphy concluded that staff
determinations regarding pass privileges
were not guided by any "set criteria, "
and that the forensic treatment program
should now become a "separate
freestanding program." Murphy decided
to suspend all grounds and off grounds
pass privileges for all forensic
patients, effective May 30, 1990.
Plaintiffs Nelson and Manos, and
A-58
Rg ste ae ne a ee
approximately 80 other NGRI' or USTs,
lost their pass privileges.
12. It is undisputed that prior to
Suspending the passes, state officials
made no individualized determination
that Nelson, Manos, or any of the other
insanity acquittees were no longer
appropriate candidates for the passes.
In fact, state officials did not conduct
a hearing of any kind to determine
whether Plaintiffs remained qualified to
exercise pass privileges. It is
undisputed that no deterioration in
either Manos' or Nelson's mental health
condition had been observed prior to the
suspension.
13. Subsequent to the suspension
of passes, after years of effort,
Defendant Alderman received funding
A-59
authorization for construction of a
fence around the Elgin forensic unit in
the summer of 1990. DMHDD completed
construction of the fence which enclosed
the Forensic Treatment at Elgin in March
1991. Beginning in March 1991, some
members of the proposed Plaintiff class
were issued new “grounds passes" which
allowed them to be outdoors yet still
within the enclosed area, an area
approximately one-tenth the size of the
80-acre Elgin facility. Even within the
fenced-in area, however, the movement
permitted by these new passes‘is far
more restrictive than that permitted
under the passes suspended on May 30,
1990 (“old passes"). The new passes
restrict Plaintiffs to the enclosed area
and do not permit them to be
A-60
unsupervised even within the enclosed
area for more than five minutes. Prior
to the preliminary injunction hearing,
even state officials themselves were
unaware that patients have new grounds
passes are not permitted to walk freely
on fenced-in grounds. The restrictions
which the new passes place on
Plaintiffs' freedom of movement contrast
starkly with the freedom Plaintiffs
enjoyed under their old passes, under
which Plaintiffs were free to roam the
80-acre Elgin campus without
supervision. The only liberty now
dominios to an inmate holding a new pass
that 1s not accorded to an inmate
without such a pass is that the pass
holder may walk from one building to
another, within the fenced-in area (a
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five-minute walk), without escort.
14. Beginning in July 1990, staff
at Elgin reviewed patient records for
each of the forensic patients who had
enjoyed pass privileges prior to May
1990. Defendants concluded that both
Plaintiffs Nelson and Manos should have
their passes restored once the fence was
constructed. As of the date of the
preliminary injunction hearing, no
members of the proposed class enjoy the
freedoms they exercised under the old
passes.
15. In December 1990, the Elgin
Mental Health Facility released
Plaintiff Manos pursuant to a petition
filed by Department personnel. At some
time prior to the preliminary injunction
hearing, staff at Elgin proposed that
A-62
Plaintiff Nelson also be conditionally
released.
DISCUSSION
Standards for Preliminary Iniunctive
Relief
A district court must consider four
factors in deciding whether a
preliminary injunction should be
granted. These factors are:
; whether plaintiff has a
reasonable likelihood of
Success on the merits;
me whether plaintiff will have an
adequate remedy at law or will
be irreparably harmed if the
injunction does not issue;
: whether the threatened injury .
to plaintiff outweighs the
threatened harm the injunction
may inflict on defendant;
4. whether the granting of the
preliminary injunction will
disserve the public interest.
X b-63
Kellas v. Lane, 923 F.2d 492 (7th Cir.
1990); Fabeem-EF] v Eisecar. 641 ¥. 34
thé, F28 (TCH Cir. 2968). The
“likelihood of success" factor is a
threshold inquiry; a finding against
Plaintiffs will obviate the need for
further analysis. Adams v. Attorney
Registration and Disciplinary Comm'n,
801 F.2d 968, 971 (7th Cir. 1986)
(quoting Q’Connor vy. Board of Educ., 645
F.2d 578, 580 (7th Cir.), cert. denied,
454 U.S. 1084 (1981)). In this case,
the central inquiry for determining
Plaintiffs' likelihood of success is
whether they have a liberty interest in
the passes which aes Summarily revoked
on May 30, 1990.
Plaintiffs argue that they have
three protected liberty interests in the
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passes. First, Plaintiffs contend that
they have a liberty interest in
receiving treatment in the "least
restrictive environment. " (Complaint,
G4 27.) Second, Plaintiffs assert a
liberty and/or property interest in
“adequate and humane care and services
pursuant to an individual services plan"
(Complaint, { 32.) Third, Plaintiffs
argue for a liberty interest in "freedom
from unnecessary restraint."
(Complaint, { 35.)
A state statute creates a protected
liberty interest when that interest is
defined by mandatory language and a
Substantive standard. Hewitt v. Helms,
A-65
459 U.S. 460, 471-72 (1983)
(Pennsylvania statutes and procedures
setting forth procedures for confining
an inmate to “administrative separation"
created liberty interest in inmates
remaining in the general prison
population); Woods vy. Thieret, 903 F.2d
1080, 1082 (7th Cir. 1990). In Count I,
Plaintiffs contend that a liberty
interest in receiving treatment in the
least restrictive environment is created
Dy til; Revi: Stat. ch: 91.5. 9 3-
102(a), which states that "a recipient
of services shall be provided with
adequate and humane care and services in
the least restrictive environment." In
support of Count I, Plaintiffs rely on
Jobnson v. Brelie, 701 F.24 1201 (7th
Cir. 1983).
A-66
#
In Johnson, criminal defendants who
were found unfit to stand trial
challenged DMHDD's practice of assigning
all male USTs to the Chester Mental
Health Center ("Chester"), a maximum
security facility “Significantly more
restrictive than some other DMHDD
facilities." Jd. at 1205. Plaintiffs
argued that this automatic restrictive
assignment violated their due process
rights because it was made without any
hearing or other individual
determination of their treatment needs.
Id.
Under the Criminal Code, Ill. Rev.
Stat. ch. 38, 4 104-17(b), the Jobnson
court noted, a criminal defendant found
unfit to stand trial because of a mental
deficiency ‘could be:placed in the
A-67
OOF al tOT ee Saleh a, Mame
custody of the DMHDD. 701 F.2d at 1206
n.4. In 1977, the DMHDD began the
practice of assigning all male USTs to
Chester. Seventh Circuit concluded
that this practice violated plaintiffs'
procedural due process rights because
plaintiffs were not provided with a
hearing regarding their treatment needs
prior to their placement in Chester.
Id. at 1206-07. Defendants in Johnson
did not challenge the specific
procedures that had been ordered by the
district court; thus, the Seventh
Circuit's inquiry was limited to the
scope of the liberty interest created by
the Illinois Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities Code ("Mental
Health Code"), Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 91-
1/2 § 2-102 (1981), which provided for
A-68
treatment “in the least restrictive
environment." 701 F.2d at 1206. The
court reasoned that Section 2-102 of the
Mental Health Code was applicable to
plaintiffs, who, having been remanded to
the custody of DMHDD for treatment
pursuant to paragraph 104-17(b) of the
Criminal Code, are considered
"recipients of services" under Section
1-123 of the Mental Health Code.
Finally, the court noted that the
Illinois legislature intended that the
Criminal and Mental Health Codes
together would govern a UST's treatment
and confinement. _ The court based this
observation on paragraph 104-29 of the
Criminal Code, which states that in the
event of a conflict with the Mental
Health Code, the Criminal Code provision
~ ,
A-69
shall apply. 701 F.2d at 1206. Because
Section 2-102 of the Mental Health Code
did not conflict with the Criminal Code,
USTs were, in the court's judgment,
entitled to treatment in the “least
restrictive environment." Jd.
Although the Johnson case provides
authority for Plaintiffs: argument that
State law prohibits Defendants'
Suspension of Plaintiffs' pass
privileges without a hearing, the
seventh Circuit recently diluted the
protections provided in Section 2-102.
In Maust vy. Headley, 959 F.2d 644, 648
(7th Cir. 1992), the court held that
Section 2-1023 no longer provides
forensic patients with a liberty
interest in receiving treatment in the
least restrictive environment. In
A-70
Maust, a criminal détendent found unfit
to stand trial claimed that his liberty
interest in receiving treatment in the
least restrictive environment was
violated when he was not granted a
hearing prior to his transfer to a more
secure mental health center. Jd. at
646. Invoking Johnson, the criminal
defendant in Maust asserted that Section
2-102 should be construed to create a
liberty interest in being confined in
the least restrictive setting. Jd. at
647.
In Maust, however, the Seventh
Circuit did not agree that Section 2-102
created a liberty interest in the least
restrictive environment. The Maust
court found that amendatory provisions
in paragraphs 104-17(b) and 104-31 of
A-71
4
®
a
¥.
*
the Illinois Criminal Code, enacted
after Johnson, eliminated a defendant's
liberty interest in the least
restrictive environment.’ Jg. at 648.
Specifically, the amendatory provision
in paragraph 104-17(b) provides:
If the defendant is placed in the
custody of the Department of Mental
Health and Developmental
Disabilities, the defendant shall
be placed in a secure setting
unless the court determines that
there are compelling reasons why
such placement is not necessary.
” Because the plaintiffs in both
Johnson and Maust were USTs, paragraph
104-17(b) of the Criminal Code
establishes their general treatment plan
and paragraph 104-31 governs the extent
to which they must be escorted by
Department personnel when they are
Outside a facility building. Ill. Rev.
Stat. ch. 38, 4 104-17(b) and GY 104-31.
A-72
Eee
Tll. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, 4 104-17(b).?
Examining Section 2-102 of the Mental
Health Code in light of 104-17(b) of the
Criminal Code, the Maust court believed
it “highly unlikely that the Illinois
General Assembly intended to create a
right to be confined in the ‘least
estrictive, secure environment.'" 959
F.2d at 648. The court also noted that
the "degree of supervision" over
defendants governed by paragraph 104-31
"would scarcely qualify as that found in
the ‘least restrictive environment. '"
* Although paragraph 104-17 of the
Criminal Code applies only to defendants
found unfit to stand trial, the same
“secure setting" language is contained
in a companion amendment, paragraph
1005-2-4, added after Johnson, that
applies to defendants found not guilty
by reason of insanity. Seventh
Circuit's decision in Maust, therefore
applies to the universe of plaintiffs in
the proposed class.
A-73
ia.” The court then stated that any
conflicts between the Mental Health Code
and the Criminal Code "must be resolved
in favor of the Criminal Code." pi B
The court based this assertion on Ili.
Rev. Stat. ch. 38 4 104-29, which
provides that "in the event of any
conflict between this Article and the
‘Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities Code,' the provisions of
this Article shall govern." The court
also noted that in the title to the
» Paragraph 104-31 provides in part:
"No defendant placed in a secure setting
Shall be permitted outside the
facility's housing unless escorted or
accompanied by personnel of the
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities. Nor shall
such defendant be permitted any off-
grounds privileges ... or on-grounds
Privileges, unless such . . - Privileges
have been approved by specific court
Order." Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, ¥ 104-
31.
A-74
legislation amending paragraph 104-17 of
the Criminal Code, “the Mental Health
Code is expressly listed as one of the
statutes affected by the legislation."
Id.
Plaintiffs cite Yiadom v. Kiley,
204 Ill. App.3d 418, 562 N.E.2d 310 (1st
Dist. 1990), for the proposition that
Johnson remains good law. In Yiadom, a
habeas corpus petition was brought
seeking the shianan. teen the Department
of a defendant found unfit to stand
trial. Jd. at 422, 562 N.E.2d.at 312.
In considering whether the inmate was
denied due process by the Department
regarding his treatment plan, the
Illinois appellate court cited Johnson
and observed that "defendants adjudged
unfit to stand trial have a state-
A-75
eS oe
created liberty in treatment in the
least restrictive environment." Jg. at
428, 562 N.E.2d at 316. Yiadom's
precedential value is compromised,
however, by the fact that, although the
case was decided after the amendments to
paragraphs 104-17 and 104-31, there is
no mention of these amendments in the
court' analysis. Yiadom court paid
little heed to the issue of whether
defendants had a liberty interest in the
least restrictive environment. Instead,
after citing Johnson the Yiadom court
proceeded directly to a discussion of
what process was due. Seventh Circuit
in Maust, in contrast, engaged in a
reasoned analysis of whether defendants
retained a liberty interest in the least
restrictive environment. Maust,
A-76
therefore, deserves greater precedential
value than Yiadom. Under controlling
authority, Plaintiffs here appear to
have no state-created liberty interest
in receiving treatment in the "least
restrictive environment," and cannot
pursue a claim for injunctive relief to
enforce any such interest.
2. Adequate and Humane Care
In Court II, Plaintiffs argue that
the suspension of their passes
constituted a violation of their state-
created liberty interest in receiving
adequate and humane care pursuant to an
individualized service plan. Paragraph
2-102 of the Mental Health Code provides
that "a recipient of services shall be
provided with adequate and humane care
pursuant to an individual service
A-77
pian.* Ill. Rev. Stat. ch, 91.5, 4 2-
102 (a). As previously noted, a statute
saeabae a liberty interest when that
interest is defined by mandatory
language and a substantive standard.
Hewitt v. Helms, 459 U.S. 460, 471-72
(1983). Paragraph 20102 satisfied the
Hewitt standard because it uses
mandatory language ("shall") and
substantive standard ("adequate and
humane care").
Defendants do not dispute that
Plaintiffs have a liberty interest in
receiving adequate and humane care
pursuant to an individualized service
plan. Defendants argue, however, that
this right was not violated when the
passes were suspended.
A-78
Illinois does not recognize pass
privileges as a mandatory form of mental
health treatment. This is evident from
the provision authorizing the issuance
of passes. Section 1005-2(b) of the
Criminal Code provides:
The defendant shall not be
permitted to be in the community in
any manner, including but not
limited to off-grounds privileges
unsupervised on-grounds
privileges, discharge or
conditional or temporary release,
except by a plan as provided in
this Section . . . such plan may
also include unsupervised on-
grounds privileges, off-grounds
privileges . . . but only where
such privileges have been approved
by specific court order.
Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38 4 1005-2(b).
Thus, a defendant may have pass
privileges but only if granted by court
order. See generally People v. Reed,
126 Ill. App.3d 1020, 467 N.E.2d 1158
(2nd Dist. 1984). Where the Illinois
A-79
legislature did not make pass privileges
mandatory, it could not have intended to
make pass privileges a required
component of adequate and humane care in
Illinois.
The case histories of Nelson and
Manos further demonstrate that pass
privileges are not required for adequate
and humane care at Elgin. Plaintiffs'
pass privileges were revoked on May 30,
1990 and have never been reinstated. In
the meantime, Manos was released from
the custody of DMHDD and Nelson was
recommended for conditional release from
Elgin to a half-way house. Thus, even
without their passes, Manos successfully
completed treatment for his mental
lllness and Nelson has taken a
Significant step toward completion.
This progress in Manos' and Nelson's
mental health demonstrates that they
have received adequate and humane
treatment without pass privileges.
improvement in the named Plaintiffs'
mental health, which took place without
passes, bears witness to the fact that
they did receive adequate and humane
treatment. Thus, Plaintiffs' claim that
the pass suspension violated their right
to receive adequate and humane treatment
must fail.
3. Reasonable Freedom of Movement
In Count III, Plaintiffs raise
their strongest constitutional
Challenge: they allege that the
Suspension of their passes violated
their constitutional right to reasonable
freedom of movement. Defendants do not
A-81
dispute that Plaintiffs have a liberty
interest in freedom from unreasonable
restraint. They argue, however, that the
decision by DMHDD to suspend the passes
did not constitute an unreasonable
restraint on Plaintiffs' movement.
Supreme Court has recognized that
"freedom from bodily restraint has
always been the core of the liberty
protected by the Due Process Clause from
arbitrary governmental action." Foucha
uw. Louisiana, 112 S.ct. 1780, 1785
(1992). This liberty interest in
freedom from bodily restraint survives
involuntary commitment. Youngberg vy.
Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 316 (1982). This
interest is not absolute; there are
occasions when the state has a
legitimate interest in restraining the
A-82
movement of individuals placed in its
institutions. Jd. at 320. In seeking
to balance these interests, an
individual's liberty interest must be
weighed against the state's asserted
reasons for restraining liberty. Jd.
Supreme Court has established that the
appropriate standard to apply in
balancing these two interests is whether
/
| professional judgment was exercised
| prior to the restraint. Jd. at 324.
The right of an institutionalized
inmate to freedom from unnecessary
restraint was articulated by the Court
in Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307
(1982). In Youngberg, the mother of a
profoundly retarded adult filed suit
against the state institution in which
her son was confined, Claiming that the
A-83
State defendants had infringed her son's
constitutional rights to safe conditions
of confinement, freedom from bodily
restraint, and training. Ig. at 309,
310. Plaintiff asserted, specifically,
that her son's right to be free from
bodily restraint was violated when
institution staff restrained him by
applying what the Court referred to as
"soft" restraints to his arms. Jd. at
311.
The Youngberg Court recognized the
right to freedom from bodily restraint
and established that this right "must
also survive involuntary confinement."
id. at 316. Court then articulated a
Standard to balance this liberty
interest against legitimate state
concerns for public safety and effective
A-84
treatment. Under this standard, the
Court concluded, the state "May not
restrain residents except when and to
the extent professional judgment deems
this necessary to assure such safety or
to provide needed training." Jg. at
324.
Defendants insist that Youngberg
does not control the Outcome here. They
note that Youngberg involved actual
physical restraint; here, Defendants'
action only imposes limitations on
Plaintiffs' movement within the
institution. Defendants correctly
observe the degree of physical restraint
waS more severe in Youngberg than in the
Present case. They err, however, in
assuming that the Supreme Court's
holding in Youngberg hinged upon the
A-85
unique degree of physical restraint in
that case. The Supreme Court's recent
opinion in Foucha v. Louisiana., 112
S.Ct. 1780 (1992), demonstrates that the
right to liberty from bodily restraint
means more than simply a prohibition
against actual physical restraint of the
body .
In Foucha, petitioner had been
acquitted of aggravated battery and
illegal discharge of a firearm by reason
of insanity. He was committed to a
psychiatric hospital pursuant
Louisiana law. Four years late:
hospital review commit
. \
that he be conditional! Ne
Nn
Two court-appointed doc refused tc
certify that plaintif¢ yer
dangerous, however, and the state trial
A-86
court denies his release. This result
comported with Louisiana law which
required that a defendant found not
guilty by reason of insanity be
committed to a psychiatric hospital
until he can prove that he is not
dangerous, regardless of the current
diagnosis of his mental condition. 112
ost. Qt 276i.
The Supreme Court struck down the
Louisiana statute as unconstitutional.
112 S.Ct. at 1787. A majority of the
Court concluded that the statute
violated the Sue Process Clause because
it allowed an insanity acquittee to be
committed to a mental institution until
he is abie to demonstrate that he is not
dangerous to himself and others, even
though he does not suffer from any
A-87
mental illness. Jd. In so holding, the
Court recognized that freedom from
bodily restraint is a liberty interest
that applies to insanity acquittees, Jd.
at 1785 (citing Youngberg v. Romeo, 457
U.S. 307, 316 (1982)), and that
"commitment for any purpose constitutes
a Significant deprivation of liberty
that requires due process protection. '"
Id. at 1785, (quoting Jones vy. United
xtates, 463 U.S. 354, 361 (1983)).
Thus, Plaintiffs enjoy a liberty
interest in freedom of movement that
need not be limited to freedom from
actual physical restraint of the body .
Further support for Plaintiffs'
argument that they have a liberty
interest in freedom of bodily movement
is provided by the Seventh Circuit's
A-88
decision in Johnson v. Brelijie, 701 F.2d
at 1201.*° In addition to arguing that
they had an interest in receiving
treatment in the "least restrictive
environment," plaintiffs in Jobnson
argued that they had a liberty interest
in freedom of movement. Plaintiffs
attached the DMHDD's practice of
confining them indoors except on rare
occasions. Jd. at 1208. Citing
Youngberg, the Johnson court held that
the plaintiffs “retain liberty interests
in freedom from such restraints
{confinement indoors] ." Id.
'° Although the Seventh Circuit in
Maust overruled Johnson's discussion of
Section 2-102 and the "least restrictive
environment," Johnson's consideration of
the restrictions that DMHDD placed on
forensic patients' freedom Of movement
remains good law.
A-89
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Plaintiffs clearly have a
constitutionally protected liberty
interest in freedom of movement.
Plaintiffs must also establish, however,
that the DMHDD's suspension of their
passes constituted a violation of that
liberty interest. This determination
requires a balancing of Plaintiffs'
liberty interest in freedom of movement
against DMHDD's legitimate interest in
restraining their movement for the
safety of Plaintiffs themselves and the
general public. In balancing these
interests, Youngberg directs that the
court make certain that DMHDD exercises
professional judgement in deciding that
restraint of Plaintiffs through
Suspension of their passes is necessary
to assure safety. 457 U.S. 324.
A-90
DMHDD suspended Plaintiffs' passes
on May 30, 1990 after two forensic
patients used their unsupervised grounds
passes to escape from Elgin. In a memo
written to all of the state court judges
who had approved passes, Defendant
Brelje explained that the Department was
temporarily suspending all unsupervised
grounds passes pending the completed
construction of a security fence. Dr.
Brelje explained that utilization of the
passes under existing conditions
"presented an unacceptable danger, both
to the individual recipients and the
community at large." (Defendants'
Response to Plaintiff's Motion for
Preliminary Injunction, Ex. E.)
Plaintiffs emphasize that one of these
escapees was apprehended quickly and the
A-91
other had warned Elgin staff of his
intention to flee prior to his escape.
Further Plaintiffs have presented
Statistical data which they believe
demonstrated there had been no increase
in the number of NGRIs or USTs escaping
from confinement during exercise of pass
privileges over many months prior to May
1990. Nevertheless, for purposes of the
preliminary injunction proceeding, this
court will assume that DMHDD's initial
Suspension of the passes was reasonable
because a professional decision (albeit
not an individualized one) was made that
restricting Plaintiffs' freedom of
movement promoted legitimate safety
concerns.
By March 1991, however, a security
fence completely enclosed the forensic
A-92
unit. Once the security fence was
completed, continued suspension of
Plaintiffs' passes no longer represented
a reasonable restriction on Plaintiffs’
freedom of movement. As early as July
1990, Department staff had made written
recommendations to the Circuit Court
that Plaintiffs Manos and Nelson (and
other forensic patients) have their pass
privileges restored upon the completion
of the fence. After the fence was
built, however, Plaintiffs’ pass
privileges were not restored. This
unnecessary restriction of Plaintiffs’
movement is precisely the type of
arbitrary state action that the Due
Process Clause was intended to prevent.
Department staff did, as required by
Youngberg, make a professional
determination that Plaintiffs should
have their passes restored. But the
Department never did restore them.
Defendants provide no rational
explanation why Plaintiffs should not
now enjoy the same freedoms they had
prior to the suspension of pass
privileges. Prior to the original
issuance of passes, the Department
completed a three-tier determination
that Plaintiffs Nelson and Manos did not
present a security threat to themselves
or the public.'! Further the
Department's release of Manos and its
recommendation that Nelson be
'' As described in paragraph 5 of the
Findings of Fact, supra, before a
forensic patient receives a pass, the
patient's treatment team, Dr. Marquez,
and Roalda Alderman must determine that
the patient is not a security risk.
A-94
conditionally released to a half-way
house demonstrate that the Department
itself recognizes that both Manos and
Nelson can responsibly exercise freedom.
The Department's failure to restore
Plaintiffs' passes after the completion
of the fence unreasonably restricted
Plaintiffs' liberty interest in freedom
of movement.
The second step in examining
Plaintiffs' "likelihood of Success" is
to determine whether Defendants afforded
Plaintiffs adequate due process
Protection of their liberty interest in
the passes. Due process is "a flexible
concept that varies with the particular
Situation." Zjnermon Vv. Burch, 494 u.s.
A-95
113, 127 (1990). A court must weigh
several factors to determine what
procedural protections are required in a
particular case:
First, the private interest that
will be affected by the official
action; second, the risk of an
erroneous deprivation of such
interest through the procedures
used, an the probable value, if
any, Of additional or substitute
procedural safeguards; and finally,
the Government's interest,
including the function involved and
the fiscal and administrative
burdens that the additional or
Substitute procedural requirement
would entail.
Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 u.s. 319, 335
(1976). In applying this test, the
Supreme Court “usually has held that the
Constitution requires some kind of a
hearing before the State deprives a
person of liberty or property."
Zinermon, 494 u.s. at 127.
A-96
Plaintiffs have a substantial
private interest in their passes. For
Plaintiffs, the reasonable freedom of
movement enjoyed by the passes
constitutes a liberty interest , which
"has always been at the core of the
liberty protected by the Due Process
Clause from arbitrary governmental
action." Foucha , 112 §.Ct. at 1785.
Additionally, all of the potential
Plaintiffs suffer from debilitating
mental illness. The extent of
Plaintiffs' suffering is such that they
have been adjudicated either unfit to
Stand trial or incapable of forming
Criminal intent. Plaintiffs argue that
their passes constitute a form of
therapeutic treatment and that
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suspension 3f those passes detrimentally
affects Plaintiffs' well-being and
recovery. Specifically, they argue that
Defendants’ program allowing
increasingly greater freedoms --
referred to by mental health
professionals as "progressive liberties"
-- is itself a recognized form of
treatment.
Defendants challenge the notion
that progressive liberties are necessary
Or required for effective mental health
care. They contend no empirical data
Supports a conclusion that progressive
liberties accelerate a patient's
progress. Dr. Brelje testified in fact,
that it may be that allowing patients
increasing freedoms over a period of
several months actually slows the pace
A-98
be }2 z
* VUDist
en
)
VU
analysis requires an examination of "the
risk of an erroneous deprivation of such
interest through the procedures used,
and the probative value, if any, of
additional or substitute procedural
safeguards." 424 U.S. at 355. As
previously discussed, Plaintiffs'
liberty interest in their passes
Outweighed Defendants' claimed security
needs, at the latest after the fence was
built. Thus, the procedures employed by
Defendants in determining whether to
restore Plaintiffs' passes after
construction of the fence must be
examined in order to assess the risk
that Plaintiffs were erroneously denied
pass privileges.
As noted earlier, Defendants appear
to have failed to act upon their own
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recommendation that pass privileges be
restored upon completion of construction
of the fence. Not only did Defendants
bar Plaintiffs from wandering the full
range of the Elgin facility, as they had
prior to May 1990; but Defendants also
have not allowed patients having
unsupervised grounds passes to walk
without supervision for more than five
minutes, even within the fenced area.
Consequently, Defendants' procedures
erroneously denied Plaintiffs their
liberty interest.
The second prong of the Mathews
analysis also requires a determination
of "the probable value, if any, of
additional or substitute procedures
safeguards." Id. at 335. Plaintiffs
here request that prior to any future
A-101
Suspension of pass privileges, a
qualified professional make an
individualized determination that the
patient no longer meets the criteria for
a pass. In case of an emergency,
Plaintiffs propose that Defendants be
entitled to suspend a pass without a
prior determination, as long as that
determination is made promptly after the
suspension.
The circumstances of Plaintiffs
Nelson and Manos demonstrate the
probable value of requiring Defendants
to make a pre-deprivation individual
determination that a plaintiff no longer
qualifies for a pass. On May 30, 1990,
Defendants suspended the passes of
Nelson and Manos without having made
such a determination. After conducting
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a professional individualized
determination only two months later,
however, Defendants' decided that
Plaintiffs Nelson and Manos should have
their passes restored. Had Defendants
based their initial decision on an
individualized review of Plaintiffs'
treatment needs, Plaintiffs Nelson and
Manos might never have lost their
passes.
3. Government's Interest
The third prong of the Mathews
analysis required that the probable
value of any additional safeguards be
weighed against "the Government's
interest, including the function
involved and the fiscal and
administrative burdens that the
additional or substitute procedural
A-103
requirement would entail." Id.
Defendants here argue that adoption of
Plaintiffs' suggestions would require
burdensome and expensive hearing prior
to any decision to suspend passes.
Defendants' argument fails to
acknowledge, however, that an
appropriate mechanism for conducting a
pre-deprivation hearing already exists.
Paragraph 1005-2-4(b) of the Criminal
Code, Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, 4 1005-2-
4(b), requires Defendants to submit a
individualized treatment plan to the
Circuit Court for each forensic patient
every 60 days. Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38,
Gq 1005-2-4(b). Since 4 1005-2-4(b)
already requires Defendants to conduct a
professional individualized
determination before Suspending a
A-104
Plaintiff's pass privileges, Defendants
incur no additional cost or burden in
providing a pre-deprivation hearing.
Significantly, Plaintiffs’ request
for an individual determination imposes
a lesser procedural burden on the
Department than the requirement which
the Seventh Circuit recently imposed on
the Wisconsin prison system in Felce y,
F.2d » No. 91-3488,
Fiedler,
1992 WL 221989 (7th Cir. Sept. 15,
1992). In Felce, a mandatory parolee
argued that Wisconsin cannot condition
mandatory release parole on forced
injections of antipsychotic drugs unless
the drugs are necessary and a fair
procedure is used to determine such a
necessity. 1992 WL 221989, at *3. The
Felce court held that a parolee has a
A-105
liberty interest "in being free from the
involuntary use of antipsychotic drugs
during his period of mandatory parole."
Id. at *10. After determining that
plaintiff had a liberty interest in
refusing medication, the court
considered what procedural protections
were necessary to protect the liberty
interest. The court determined "that
the involvement of an independent
decisionmaker [in deciding whether the
antipsychotic medication was necessary]
would benefit significantly the
protection of the liberty interest at
stake without a significant burden upon
coe memes es . . 2d. at *10. In
contrast to the request in Felce,
Plaintiffs here are not requesting that
Defendants be forced to supply an
A-106
independent decisionmaker in determining
whether Plaintiffs qualify for pass
privileges. Instead, Plaintiffs merely
ask that the pass privilege
determinations be made by the same
persons who are involved in their day-
to-day treatment and who are required to
develop individual treatment plans every
60 days.
Conceivably, an emergency could
arise prior to the required 60-day
hearing that would necessitate the
Suspension of pass privileges without a
prior individualized determination. But
even in such an emergency, due process
requires the provision of some kind of a
hearing as soon as practical after the
deprivation has occurred. Parratt vy.
Taylor 451 U.S. 527, 538 (1981). Thus,
A-107
in the event Defendants are forced to
impose an emergency suspension of pass
privileges, due process requires that
Defendants conduct an individualized
determination within the next 60-day
interval.
C. Remaining Preliminary Injunction
Requirements
As Plaintiffs have demonstrated
they are likely to succeed on the merits
of their due process claim, the court
must consider whether the other
requirements for granting of preliminary
injunctive relief have been met.
Specifically, Plaintiffs must
demonstrate that they are likely to
suffer irreparable harm for which they
have no adequate remedy at law if
injunctive relief is denied; that the
A-108
harm they will suffer is greater than
the burden that injunctive relief would
impose on Defendants; and that such
relief will not jeopardize the public
interest. Faheem-F] Vv. Klincar, 841
F.2d 712, 716 (7th Cir. 1988).
Defendants have raised no genuine
objection to any of the remaining
elements of the required showing.
Plaintiffs easily meet the first of
these requirements, establishing that if
the injunction is denied, they will
suffer irreparable harm for which they
have no adequate remedy at law. Fabeem-
El, 841 F.2d at 716. Depriving
Plaintiffs of their passes is likely to
inflict irreparable harm. Because
Plaintiffs received their passes after
Defendants' determination that the
A-109
passes constituted an appropriate part
of Plaintiffs' individual treatment
plans to provide adequate and humane
care, Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 38, 4 1005-2-
4(b) and ch. 91.5, ¥ 2-102, any
deprivation of Plaintiffs' passes may
interfere with Plaintiffs' treatment.
Since Plaintiffs cannot be released
until they recover, Ill. Rev. Stat. ch.
38, { 1005-2-4(h), inteference with
their treatment resulting from the
Suspension of passes may prolong their
confinement.
Additionally, Plaintiffs do not
have an adequate remedy at law for the
irreparable harm that deprivation of
their passes may inflict upon them.
Monetary damages, for example, will be
difficult to calculate. Nor can such
A-110
damages make Plaintiffs "whole," if the
suspension of passes does interfere with
Plaintiffs' treatment and delay
recovery. Although Plaintiffs did
request an award of damages,’* it would
be difficult to set a price tag on the
Satisfaction Plaintiffs felt upon
learning that their passes would entitle
them to some degree of freedom of
movement or the disappointment they
experienced when their freedom was
suspended.
Next, Plaintiffs must establish
that denial of the injunction would
Plaintiff Manos contends he is
entitled to an award for pay he lost as
a result of his inability to work as a
forklift operator, but the evidence did
not permit a finding on this issue.
Manos did not recall whether he was
working in that job at the time of the
pass suspension.
12
A-111
inflict greater suffering on them than
the burden such relief, if granted,
would impose on Defendants. Faheem-El,
841 F.2d at 716. Defendants do not
dispute that Plaintiffs have met this
burden. If the injunction is granted,
Defendants will return to the practice
they followed prior to the supervision
of passes on May 30, 1990. Every 60
days, Defendants will be required to
make individual determinations regarding
each patient's qualifications for
receiving a pass. On the other hand,
denial of the injunction threatens harm
to Plaintiffs. The passes are part of
their treatment plan, and Plaintiffs'
recovery and eventual release from DMHDD
may be delayed if the pass privileges
are not restored.
A-112
Finally, Plaintiffs must establish
that the injunction will not disserve
the public interest. Jd. Defendants
argue that if the passes are restored,
public safety will be at risk.
Defendants have already discharged
Manos, however, and have recommended
Nelson for conditional release to a
half-way house. These determinations
demonstrate that Defendants no longer
regard Plaintiffs Nelson and Manos as
threats to public safety. Moreover,
Illinois law and Department practice
contemplate the use of passes as a form
of treatment. See Ill. Rev. Stat. ch.
38, 4 1005-2-4(b). Restoration of the
passes may enhance Plaintiffs'
Creatment; and the injunctive relief
they have requested will not disserve
A-113
the public interest.
CONCLUSION
Defendants' suspension of
Plaintiffs' pass privileges on May 30,
1990 violated Plaintiffs'
constitutionally protected liberty
interest in freedom from unreasonable
restraint on bodily movement. The court
should grant Plaintiffs' motion for a
preliminary injunction requesting
issuance of an order restoring all
passes suspended on May 30, 1990 and
requiring an individualized professional
determination prior to any future
Suspension of the passes.
ENTER :
REBECCA R. PALLMEYER
United States Magistrate Judge
Date: September 30, 1992
A-114
Within ten days of the date of
service of this report, Plaintiffs are
directed to submit to the Honorable John
A. Nordberg their proposed form
preliminary injunction order consistent
with this Report. Counsel have ten days
from the date of service to file
objections to this Report and
Recommendation with the Honorable John
A. Nordberg. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b);
28 U.S.C. § 636(b) (1). Failure to
object constitutes a waiver of the right
to appeal. Eggert v. Connecticut Genera]
Life Ins. Co., 900 F.2d 1032, 1039 (7th
Cir. 1990).
A-115
730 ILCS 5/5-2-4. Proceedings After
Acquittal by Reason of Insanity
(a) After a finding or verdict of not
guilty by reason of insanity under
Sections 104-25, 115-3 or 115-4 of The
Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the
defendant shall be ordered to the
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities for an
evaluation as to whether he is subject to
involuntary admission or in need of
mental health services. The order shall
specify whether the evaluation shall be
conducted on an inpatient or outpatient
basis. If the evaluation is to be
conducted on an inpatient basis, the
defendant shall be placed in a secure
setting unless the Court determines that
there are compelling reasons why such
placement is not necessary. After the
evaluation and during the period of time
required to determine the appropriate
placement, the defendant shall remain in
jail. Upon completion of the placement
process the sheriff shall be notified and
shall transport the defendant to the
designated facility.
The Department shall provide the
Court with a report of: its evaluation
within 30 days of the date of this order.
The Court shall hold a hearing as
provided under the Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities Code to
determine if the individual is: (a)
subject to involuntary admission; (b) in
need of mental health services on an
inpatient basis; (c) in need of mental
health services on an outpatient basis;
B-1
(d) a person not in need of mental health
services. The Court shall enter its
findings.
If the defendant is found to be
subject to involuntary admission or in
need of mental health services on an
inpatient care basis, the Court shall
order the defendant to the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities. The defendant shall be
placed in a secure setting unless the
Court determines that there are
compelling reasons why such placement is
not necessary. Such defendants placed in
a secure setting shall not be permitted
outside the facility's housing unit
unless escorted or accompanied by
personnel of the Department of Mental
Health and Developmental Disabilities or
with the prior approval of the Court for
unsupervised on-grounds privileges as
provided herein. If the defendant is
found to be in need of mental health
services, but not on an inpatient care
basis, the Court shall conditionally
release the defendant, under such
conditions as set forth in this Section
as will reasonably assure the defendant's
satisfactory progress in treatment or
rehabilitation and the safety of the
defendant or others. If the Court finds
the person not in need of mental health
services, then the Court shall order the
defendant discharged from custody.
(1) Definitions: For the purposes
of this Section:
(A) “Subject to involuntary
admission" means: A defendant has been
B-2
Papi So,
SED AR aL Mtns,
SRO Cay T
found not guilty by reason of insanity;
and
(1) who is mentally ill and who
because of his mental illness is
reasonably expected to inflict serious
physical harm upon himself or another in
the near future; or (ii) who is mentally
ill and who because of his illness is
unable to provide for his basic physical
needs so as to guard himself from serious
harm.
(B) "In need of mental health
services on an inpatient basis means: a
defendant who has been found not guilty
by reasons of insanity who is not subject
to involuntary admission but who is
reasonably expected to inflict serious
physical harm upon himself or another and
who would benefit from inpatient care or
is in need of inpatient care.
(C) "In need of mental health
services on an outpatient basis" means:
a defendant who has been found not guilty
by reasons of insanity who is not subject
to involuntary admission or in need of
mental health services on an inpatient
basis, but is in need of outpatient care,
drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation
programs, community adjustment programs,
individual, group, or family therapy, or
chemotherapy.
(D) “Conditional Release" means:
the release from the custody of either
the Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities or the custody
of the Court of a person who has been
found not guilty by reasons of insanity
under such conditions as the court may
B-3
X
impose which reasonably assure the
defendant's satisfactory progress in
treatment or habilitation and the safety
of the defendant and others. The Court
shall consider such terms and conditions
which may include, but need not be
limited to outpatient care, alcoholic and
drug rehabilitation programs, community
adjustment programs, individual, group,
family, and chemotherapy, periodic checks
with the legal authorities and/or the
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities. The person
or facility rendering the outpatient care
shall be required to periodically report
to the Court on the progress of the
Defendant. Such conditione. release
shall be for a period of five years,
unless the defendant, the person or
facility rendering the treatment,
therapy, program or outpatient care, or
the State's attorney petitions the Court
for an extension of the conditional
release period of an additional three
years. Upon receipt of such a petition,
the Court shall hold a hearing consistent
with the provisions of this paragraph (a)
and paragraph (f) of this Section, shall
determine whether the defendant should
continue to be subject to the terms of
conditional release, and shall enter an
order either extending the defendant's
period of conditional release for a
Single additional three year period or
discharging the defendant. In no event
shall the defendant's period of
conditional release exceed eight years.
These provision for. extension of
-ynditional release shall only apply to
defendants conditionally released on or
after July 1, 1979. However the
B-4
extension provisions of this amendatory
Act of 1984 apply only to defendants
charged with a forcible felony.
(b) If the Court finds the defendant
subject to involuntary admission or in
need of mental health services on an
inpatient basis, the admission,
detention, care treatment or
habilitation, review proceedings, and
discharge of the defendant after such
Order shall be under the Mental Health
and Developmental Disabilities Code,
except that the initial order for
admission of a defendant acquitted of a
felony by reasons of insanity shall be
for an indefinite period of time. Such
period of commitment shall not exceed the
maximum length of time that the defendant
would have been required to serve, less
credit for good behavior, before becoming
eligible for release had he been
convicted of and received the maximum
sentence for the most serious crime for
which he has been acquitted by reasons of
insanity. The Court shall determine the
maximum period of commitment by an
appropriate order. During this period of
time, the defendant shall not be
permitted to be in the community in any
manner, including but not limited to off-
grounds privileges, with or without
escort by personnel of the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities, unsupervised on-grounds
privileges, discharge or conditional or
temporary release, except by a plan as
provided in this Section. In no event
shall a defendant's continued
unauthorized absence be a basis for
discharge. Not more than 30 days after
B-5
admission and every 60 days thereafter so
long as the initial order remains in
effect, the facility director shall file
a treatment plan with the court. Such
plan shall include an evaluation of the
defendant's progress and the extent to
which he is benefiting from treatment.
Such plan may also include unsupervised
on-grounds privileges, off-grounds
privileges (with or without escort by
personnel of the Department of Mental
Health and Developmental Disabilities),
home visits and participation in work
programs, but only where such privileges
have been approved by specific court
order, which order may include such
conditions on the defendant as the Court
may deem appropriate and necessary to
reasonably assure the defendant's
Satisfactory progress in treatment and
the safety of the defendant and others.
(c) Every defendant acquitted of a
felony by reason of insanity and
subsequently found to be subject to
involuntary admission or in need of
mental health services shall be
represented by counsel in all proceedings
under this Section and under the Mental
Health and Developmental Disabilities
Code.
(1) The court shall appoint as
counsel the public defender or an
attorney licensed by this State.
(2) Upon filing with the court of a
verified statement of legal services
rendered by the private attorney
appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) of
this subsection, the court shall
B-6
determine a reasonable fee for such
services. If the defendant is unable to
pay the fee, the court shall enter an
Order upon the State to pay the entire
fee or such amount as the defendant is
unable to pa from funds appropriated by
the General Assembly for that purpose.
(d) When the facility director
determines that:
(1) the defendant is no longer
Subject to involuntary admission or in
need of mental health services on an
inpatient basis; and
(2) the defendant may be
conditionally released because he or she
is still in need of mental health
services or that the defendant may be
discharged as not in need of any mental
health services; or
(3) the defendant no longer
requires placement in a secure setting;
the facility director shall give written
notice to the Court, State's Attorney and
defense attorney. Such notice shall set
forth in detail the basis for the
recommendation of the facility director,
and specify clearly the recommendations,
if any, of the facility director,
concerning conditional release. Within
30 days of the notification by the
facility director, the Court shall set a
hearing and make a finding as to whether
the defendant is:
(i) subject to involuntary
admission; or
(11) in need of mental health
services in the form of inpatient care;
B-7
or
(111) in need of mental health
services but not subject to involuntary
admission or inpatient care; or
(iv) no longer in need of mental
health services; or
(v) no longer requires placement in
a secure setting.
Upon finding by the Court, the Court
shall enter its findings and _ such
appropriate order as provided in
ibsection (a) of this Section.
(e) A defendant admitted pursuant to
s Section, or any person on his
ilf, may file a petition for transfer
te a non-secure setting within the
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities or discharge
or conditional release under the
standards of this Section in the court
which rendered the verdict. Upon receipt
of a petition for transfer to a non-
secure setting or discharge or
conditional release, the court shall set
a hearing to be held within 30 days.
Thereafter, no new petition may be filed
for 60 days without leave of the court.
(f) The court shall direct that
notice of the time and place of the
hearing be served upon the defendant, the
facility director, the State's Attorney,
and the defendant's attorney. If
requested by either the State or the
defense or if the Court feels it is
appropriate , an impartial examination of
the defendant by a psychiatrist or
clinical psychologist as defined in
Section 1-103 of the Mental Health and
B-8
SDN bbe al
Developmental Disabilities Code who is
not in the employ of the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities shall be ordered, and the
report considered at the time of the
hearing.
(g) The findings of the court shall
be established by clear and convincing
evidence. The burden of proof and the
burden of going forth with the evidence
rest with the State when a hearing is
held to review the determination of the
facility director that the defendant
should be transferred to a non-secure
setting, discharged or conditionally
released. The burden of proof and the
burden of going forth with the evidence
rest on the defendant when a hearing is
held to review a petition filed by or on
behalf of such defendant. The evidence
Shall be presented in open court with the
right of confrontation and cross-
examination.
(h) If the court finds that the
defendant is no longer in need of mental
health services it shall order the
facility director to discharge the
defendant. If the Court finds that the
defendant is in need of mental health
services, and no longer in need of
inpatient care, it shall order the
facility director to release the
defendant under such conditions as the
Court deems appropriate and as provided
by this Section. Such conditional
release shall be imposed for a period of
five years and shall be subject to later
modification by the court as provided by
this Section. If the court finds that
B-9
the defendant is subject to involuntary
admission or in need of mental health
services on an inpatient basis, it shall
order the facility director not to
discharge or release the defendant in
accordance with paragraph (b) of this
Section.
(1) If within the period of the
defendant's conditional release, the
court determines, after hearing evidence,
that the defendant has not fulfilled the
conditions of release, the court shall
order a hearing to be held consistent
with the provision of paragraph (f) and
(g) of this section. At such hearing, if
the court finds that the defendant is
Subject to involuntary admission or in
need of mental health services on an
inpatient basis, it shall enter an order
remanding him or her to the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities or other facility. If the
defendant is remanded to the Department
cf Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities, he or she shall be placed
in a secure setting unless the court
determines that there are compelling
reasons that such placement is not
necessary. If the court finds that the
defendant continues to be in need of
mental health services but not on an
inpatient basis, it may modify the
conditions of the Original release in
order to reasonably assure the
defendant's Satisfactory progress in
treatment and his or her safety and the
Safety of others. In no event shall such
conditional release be longer than eight
years. Nothing in this Section shall
limit a court's contempt powers or any
B-10
other powers of a court
(Jj) An order of admission under this
Section does not affect the remedy of
habeas corpus.
(k) In the event of a conflict
between this Section and the Mental
Health and Developmental Disabilities
Code or the Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities
Confidentiality Act, the provision of
this Section shall govern.
(1) This amendatory Act shall apply
to all persons who have been found not
guilty by reasons of insanity and who are
presently committed to the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities.
(m) The Clerk of the court shall
after the entry of an order of transf
to a non-secure setting of t
Department of Mental Health a
Developmental Disabilities or dischar
or conditional release, transmit
certified copy of the order to the
Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities, and the
Sheriff of the county from which the
defendant was admitted. In cases where
the arrest of the defendant or the
commission of the offense took — in
any municipality with a populati of
more than 25,000 persons, the ave of
the court shall also transmit a certified
copy of the order of discharge or
conditional release to the proper law
enforcement agency for said municipality
provided the municipality has requested
aa
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.