<p>Another half is closely related to lawyers so our defense and love for them is visceral, nay, tribal! </p>
<p>I will personally depose anyone who tries to sully the reputation of my father,
uncle, brother-in-law, brother, and several cousins. Wham, kapow!</p>
<p>I notice that people who denigrate lawyers are quick to phone for one when they need of help or have experienced an injustice. </p>
<p>Justice can't happen without lawyers on either side. All the ones I know think about much more than money, which I can't say is true of every educated profession.</p>
<p>Thanks for the backup, curmudgeon! Sorry if my post offended, danalynne; I was pointing out a situation in which lawyers are necessary and helpful. </p>
<p>Yes, people hate lawyers (1) except their own; and (2) except when they need one.</p>
<p>Remember that the character in Shakespeare's famous play wanted to kill all the lawyers first to have a clearer and easier shot at overthrowing the government.</p>
<p>I was told today that California is one of the worst states in which to try to get treatment for someone who is refusing help. The bar is set very high.
I was also told that other states have laws that do not uphold individual rights to such a degree. Does anyone know of states where this is the case? Massachusetts was mentioned as a possibility.
I have a lead on other resources, so I have not run into a dead end. The situation continues to spiral downward, however.
It is disconcerting how common my situation turns out to be.</p>
<p>In California, even the county makes a difference in how a 5150 ( involuntary hold, again, NOT treatment) is determined. Some people in each county ( NOT the most highly degreed) , have 5150 authority. A treating profeesional can SOMETIMES influence them, then there's the bed/insurance situation....</p>
<p>Massachusetts does, in fact, protect individual privacy rights quite strongly. The bar is high to get any sort of commitment (not to mention that there is a severe shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds).</p>
<p>I used to represent hospitals, and I was the one they called if they had an incompetent patient who needed treatment. About 15 years ago, Massachusetts set up a program whereby there was a judge "on call" to handle these types of emergency hearings, usually at the hospital. Most cases involved either clearly incoherent or unconscious patients with physical injuries/illnesses. In my experience, court authority to treat against the express wishes of an alert patient was very hard to get; there would have to be clear signs of mental incompetence. </p>
<p>Again, contact with local counsel in Massachusetts, familiar with the clerks of court, judges and hospital staff is essential.</p>
<p>Ah Chedva you are a member of the inner sanctum. I should have looked for your magic decoder ring and parsed your past posts for "to wits". As I'm not on here that frequently I didn't know who you are. It's great to know that I spend my days dealing with lawyers and then when I come to CC well you guys said it all above. </p>