Hearing Officer Notification that Defendant has a Mental illness
In the State of Texas court of law, the Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22 requires the Sheriff to notify a magistrate if there is reasonable cause to believe that a defendant has a mental illness or is a person with an intellectual and developmental disability. The magistrate may issue an order to the local mental health authority to conduct an interview with the defendant to determine if he or she is person with mental illness or an intellectual and developmental disability. The local mental health authority must submit a report to the magistrate within a time set by statute.
As the local mental health authority in Harris County, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD can support the legal system in providing an updated report on an individual’s behavioral health.