Civil Commitment and Mental Health Law

Massachusetts Law allows mentally ill people to be held in a locked mental health facility against their will for up to one week without a court hearing and for up to a year after a court hearing. Civil commitment hearings raise difficult civil rights issues. Representation of clients at these commitment hearings requires specialized expertise.

Mental Illness raises many difficult issues for families. Adult mentally ill children may have contact with the criminal justice system, or they may encounter other problems in their communities. Many families have no where to turn for legal assistance to assist and protect their mentally ill members.

Weber & Baum have significant experience in all aspects of mental health law. Attorney Weber is the former Executive Director of the Mental Health Legal Advisor's Committee of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, he is currently a regional coordinator for mental health advocacy for the Committee for Public Counsel Services. He has handled well over 100 civil commitment cases. In addition, attorney Weber counsels families of the mentally ill in all aspects of the legal issues facing them. Attorney Baum serves as guardian or fiduciary for a large number of individuals with dementia, mental illness, or developmental disabilities. She also has extensive experience working with their families. Ms. Baum also represents families, nursing homes, and individuals with mental health disabilities in both simple and complex fiduciary matters