Maine’s supreme court clarifies rules for holding psychiatric patients in emergency rooms
The court rules that a judge must be alerted within 24 hours if a psychiatric patient is to be held for an extended period during involuntary hospitalization.
By DAVID SHARPAssociated Press
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Psychiatric patients may not be held for extended periods in emergency rooms during an involuntary hospitalization without a judge being alerted, the state supreme court ruled Thursday.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is enforcing a limit of five days, with a judge’s approval, for someone to be held in an emergency room against their will. A judge must be notified within 24 hours, the court said.