Montana Supreme Court overturns a judge's order for a health department report on forensic waitlist
Judge John Parker acted in the case of a defendant who waited four months for a fitness evaluation after a March arrest on assault charges. He said 64 people statewide were held awaiting psychiatric evaluations and wanted elected officials to grasp the magnitude of the crisis.
The state Supreme Court ruled against the order because the department was not formally a party to the case. The department filed the report anyway. Its director described the waitlist problem as convoluted and longstanding and outlined short-term steps including contracts with universities for forensic psychiatrists and higher hourly rates for contracted providers.
The episode shows one trial judge trying to press the executive branch on forensic delays.
Source: How one judge tried to tackle waitlists at the state psychiatric hospital — Montana Free Press, by Mara Silvers
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