Virginia Law

Code of Virginia

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Code of Virginia
Title 37.2. Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Chapter 8. Emergency Custody and Voluntary and Involuntary Civil Admissions
9/17/2024

§ 37.2-844. Habeas corpus as means.

A. Any person held in custody because of his mental illness may by petition for a writ of habeas corpus have the question of the legality of his detention determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Upon the petition, after notice to the authorities of the facility or other institution in which the person is confined, the court shall determine in a courtroom of the county or city or in some other convenient public place in that county or city, whether the person has a mental illness and whether he should be detained.

B. Any proceeding to challenge the continued secure inpatient treatment of a person held in custody as a sexually violent predator under Chapter 9 (§ 37.2-900 et seq.) of this title shall be conducted in accordance with § 37.2-910.

Code 1950, §§ 37-122, 37-123; 1950, p. 916; 1968, c. 477, § 37.1-103; 1976, c. 671; 2003, cc. 989, 1018; 2005, c. 716.

The chapters of the acts of assembly referenced in the historical citation at the end of this section may not constitute a comprehensive list of such chapters and may exclude chapters whose provisions have expired.