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HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 5Pt. 1Ch. 2Art. 4§ 5254 Certification Review Hearing Rights

§ 5254 Certification Review Hearing Rights

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 5254 Certification Review Hearing Rights

Key Takeaways

  • •If someone is forced into intense mental health or alcoholism treatment, they must be told they can ask for a hearing within 4 days.
  • •At this hearing, a judge will check if there's a good reason to keep them for treatment.
  • •The person has the right to get help from someone else to prepare for the hearing or ask questions about why they're being held.

Example

If your friend is taken to a hospital because they're struggling with alcoholism and the doctors say they need intense treatment, your friend must be told they can ask for a hearing within 4 days.

At this hearing, a judge will listen to why your friend is being held and decide if it's fair. Your friend can also ask someone, like a family member or lawyer, to help them get ready for the hearing.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 5254 Certification Review Hearing Rights

The person delivering the copy of the notice of certification to the person certified shall, at the time of delivery, inform the person certified that he or she is entitled to a certification review hearing, to be held within four days of the date on which the person is certified for a period of intensive treatment in accordance with Section 5256 unless judicial review is requested, to determine whether or not probable cause exists to detain the person for intensive treatment related to the mental disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism. The person certified shall be informed of his or her rights with respect to the hearing, including the right to the assistance of another person to prepare for the hearing or to answer other questions and concerns regarding his or her involuntary detention or both. (Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1517, Sec. 4.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

treatmentdetentionhealthhearingcertificationwhen someoneaccordanceimpairment

Related Statutes

  • § 5256 Intensive Treatment Certification Review
  • § 5250 14-Day Mental Health Certification
  • § 5253 Certification Notice Delivery Requirements
  • § 5256.5 Involuntary Detention Release Criteria
  • § 5256.7 Certification Review Decision Notification

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 5254.
View Official Source