53-20-141. Denial of legal rights.
53-20-141. Denial of legal rights. (1) Unless specifically stated in an order by the court, a person committed to a residential facility or for whom a community treatment plan has been imposed for an extended course of habilitation does not forfeit any legal right or suffer any legal disability by reason of the provisions of this part, except to the extent that it may be necessary to detain the person for habilitation, evaluation, or care.
(2) Whenever a person is admitted to a residential facility or a community treatment plan is imposed for the person for a period of more than 30 days, the court ordering the commitment or imposing the community treatment plan may make an order stating specifically any legal rights that are denied and any legal disabilities that are imposed on the respondent. As part of its order, the court may appoint a person to act as conservator of the respondent's property. Any conservatorship created pursuant to this section terminates upon the conclusion of the commitment or expiration of the order imposing the community treatment plan if not previously terminated by the court. A conservatorship or guardianship extending beyond the period of the commitment or order imposing a community treatment plan may not be created except according to the procedures set forth under Montana law for the appointment of conservators and guardians generally.
(3) A person who has been committed to a residential facility or for whom a community treatment plan has been imposed pursuant to this part is, upon the termination of the commitment or expiration of the order imposing the community treatment plan, automatically restored to all of the person's civil and legal rights that may have been lost when the person was committed or the community treatment plan was imposed. However, this subsection does not affect any guardianship or conservatorship created independently of the proceedings according to the provisions of Montana law relating to the appointment of conservators and guardians generally. Upon termination of any commitment or order imposing a community treatment plan under this part, the qualified mental retardation professional or case manager in charge of the person's care shall give the person a written statement setting forth the substance of this subsection.
History: En. 38-1217 by Sec. 17, Ch. 468, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 38-1217; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 381, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 252, L. 2007.