In a shift that strengthens due process rights for individuals facing temporary civil mental health commitments, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that appeals of expired commitments are not moot if any potential collateral consequences remain.

The decision in J.F. v. St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center, Inc. , issued May 5, resolves longstanding inconsistencies in how Indiana appellate courts have handled these appeals and ensures that most individuals committed for up to 90 days will have their cases heard on the merits—even after their release.

“Temporary commitments—like criminal convictions and CHINS judgments—implicate both substantial liberty interests and lifelong collateral consequences,” Chief Justice Loretta Rush wrote for the majority. “We give meaning to the Leg

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