Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 79.djvu/799

 79 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 89-183-SEPT. 14, 1965

contractual relationships, vote, or hold a driver's license solely by reason of the decree, shall, upon the expiration of the one-year period immediately following September 15, 1964, be deemed to have been restored to legal capacity unless, within the one-year period, affirmative action is commenced to have the person adjudicated mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction: Provided, however, That in those cases in which a committee has heretofore been appointed and the committeeship has not been terminated by court action, such committee shall continue to act under the supervision of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia under its equity powers. §21-565. Statement of release and adjudication procedures and of other rights Upon the admission of a person to a hospital under a provision of this chapter, the administrator shall deliver to him, and to his spouse, parents, or other nearest known adult relative, a written statement outlining in simple, nontechnical language all release procedures provided by this chapter, setting out all rights accorded to patients by this chapter, and describing procedures provided by law for adjudication of incompetency and appointment of trustees or committees for the hospitalized person. Subchapter VI—Miscellaneous Provisions § 21-581. Proceedings instituted by Commissioners of the District of Columbia (a) Proceedings instituted by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to determine the mental condition of an alleged indigent mentally ill person or a person alleged to be mentally ill, with homicidal or otherwise dangerous tendencies, shall be according to the provisions of subchapter IV of this chapter. (b) The jury in proceedings instituted upon the petition of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia shall be impaneled by the United States marshal for the District, upon order of the court, from the jurors in attendance upon the District Court, who shall perform the services in addition to and as part of their duties in the District Court. When jurors are not in attendance upon the District Court the court may direct the marshal to impanel the jurors in attendance upon the Court of General Sessions, who shall perform the duties in addition to and as part of their duties in the Court of General Sessions, or the court may direct a special jury to be summoned for the inquisition. § 21-582. Petitions, applications, or certificates of physicians (a) A petition, application, or certificate authorized under section 21-521 and subsection (a) of section 21-541 may not be considered if made by a physician who is related by blood or marriage to the alleged mentally ill person, or who is financially interested in the hospital in which the alleged mentally ill person is to be detained, or, except in the case of physicians employed by the United States or the District of Columbia, who are professionally or officially connected with the hospital. (b) A petition, application, or certificate of a physician may not be considered unless it is based on personal observation and examination of the alleged mentally ill person made by the physician not more than 72 hours prior to the making of the petition, application, or certificate. The certificate shall set forth in detail the facts and reasons on which the physician based his opinions and conclusions.

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