2011 Oregon Revised Statutes
ORS Volume 4, Chapters 131 - 170
ORS Chapter 161
161.341 Application for discharge or conditional release; release plan; examination; right to hearing.

(1) If at any time after a person is committed under ORS 161.315 to 161.351 to a state hospital or a secure intensive community inpatient facility, the superintendent of the hospital or the director of the secure intensive community inpatient facility is of the opinion that the person is no longer affected by mental disease or defect, or, if so affected, no longer presents a substantial danger to others or that the person continues to be affected by mental disease or defect and continues to be a danger to others, but that the person can be controlled with proper care, medication, supervision and treatment if conditionally released, the superintendent or director shall apply to the agency having jurisdiction over the person for an order of discharge or conditional release. The application shall be accompanied by a report setting forth the facts supporting the opinion of the superintendent or director. If the application is for conditional release, the application must be accompanied by a verified conditional release plan. The agency shall hold a hearing on the application within 60 days of its receipt. Not less than 20 days prior to the hearing before the agency, copies of the report shall be sent to the Attorney General.

(2) The attorney representing the state may choose a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist to examine the person prior to the initial or any later decision by the agency having jurisdiction over the person on discharge or conditional release. The results of the examination shall be in writing and filed with the agency, and shall include, but need not be limited to, an opinion as to the mental condition of the person, whether the person presents a substantial danger to others and whether the person could be adequately controlled with treatment as a condition of release.

(3) Any person who has been committed to a state hospital, or to a secure intensive community inpatient facility, for custody, care and treatment under ORS 161.315 to 161.351, or another person acting on the person s behalf, may apply to the agency having jurisdiction over the person for an order of discharge or conditional release upon the grounds:

(a) That the person is no longer affected by mental disease or defect;

(b) That the person, if so affected, no longer presents a substantial danger to others; or

(c) That the person continues to be affected by a mental disease or defect and would continue to be a danger to others without treatment, but that the person can be adequately controlled and given proper care and treatment if placed on conditional release.

(4) When application is made under subsection (3) of this section, the agency having jurisdiction over the person shall require that a report from the superintendent of the hospital or the director of the secure intensive community inpatient facility be prepared and transmitted as provided in subsection (1) of this section. The applicant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence the applicant s fitness for discharge or conditional release under the standards of subsection (3) of this section, unless more than two years has passed since the state had the burden of proof on that issue, in which case the state shall have the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence the applicant s lack of fitness for discharge or conditional release. Applications for discharge or conditional release under subsection (3) of this section may not be filed more often than once every six months commencing with the date of the initial agency hearing.

(5) The agency having jurisdiction over the person is not required to hold a hearing on a first application under subsection (3) of this section any sooner than 90 days after the initial hearing. Hearings resulting from any subsequent requests shall be held within 60 days of the filing of the application.

(6)(a) In no case shall a person committed by the court under ORS 161.327 to a state hospital, or to a secure intensive community inpatient facility, be held in the hospital or facility for more than 90 days from the date of the court s commitment order without an initial hearing before the agency having jurisdiction over the person to determine whether the person should be conditionally released or discharged.

(b) In no case shall a person be held pursuant to this section for a period of time exceeding two years without a hearing before the agency to determine whether the person should be conditionally released or discharged. [1977 c.380 13 (enacted in lieu of 161.340); 1979 c.885 4; 1981 c.711 6; 1983 c.800 10; 1985 c.192 3; 1989 c.790 50; 1991 c.244 1; 2005 c.685 3; 2009 c.595 104; 2011 c.708 3]