(a) Judicial review shall be in the superior court for the county in which the state hospital, developmental center, community care facility, or health facility is located, except that, if the adult has been found incompetent to stand trial and has been committed pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1367) of Title 10 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, judicial review shall be in the superior court of the county that determined the question of the mental competence of the defendant. The adult requesting to be released shall be informed of his or her right to counsel by a member of the staff of the state hospital, developmental center, community care facility, or health facility and by the court; and if he or she does not have an attorney for the proceedings, the court shall immediately appoint the public defender or other attorney to assist him or her in the preparation of a petition for the writ of habeas corpus and to represent him or her in the proceedings. The person shall pay the costs of those legal services if he or she is able.

(b) At the time the petition for the writ of habeas corpus is filed with the court, the clerk of the court shall transmit a copy of the petition, together with notification as to the time and place of an evidentiary hearing in the matter, to the parent or conservator of the person seeking release or for whom release is sought and to the director and clients’ rights advocate of the appropriate regional center. Notice shall also be provided to the director of the appropriate developmental center if the person seeking release or for whom release is sought resides in a developmental center. The notice shall be sent by registered or certified mail with proper postage prepaid, addressed to the addressee’s last known address, and with a return receipt requested. The clients’ rights advocate of the appropriate regional center may attend any hearing pursuant to this section to assist in protecting the person’s rights.

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(c) The court shall either release the adult or order an evidentiary hearing to be held not sooner than five judicial days nor more than 10 judicial days after the petition and notice described in subdivision (b) are deposited in the United States mail pursuant to this section.

(1) If the person seeking release or for whom release is sought resides in a developmental center or institution for mental disease, the regional center director or designee shall submit to the court, the person’s attorney, and all parties required to be noticed pursuant to subdivision (b) a copy of the most recent completed assessment required by subdivision (c) of Section 4418.25, subdivision (e) of Section 4418.7, or paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 4648. The regional center shall submit copies of these assessments within two working days of receiving the notice required pursuant to subdivision (b).

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), if the court finds (A) that the adult requesting release or for whom release is requested is not developmentally disabled, or (B) that he or she is developmentally disabled and that he or she is able to provide safely for his or her basic personal needs for food, shelter, and clothing, he or she shall be released within 72 hours. If the court finds that he or she is developmentally disabled and that he or she is unable to provide safely for his or her basic personal needs for food, shelter, or clothing, but that a regional center or a willing responsible person or other public or private agency is able to provide for him or her, the court shall release the developmentally disabled adult to the responsible person, regional center, or other public or private agency, as the case may be, subject to any conditions that the court deems proper for the welfare of the developmentally disabled adult and that are consistent with the purposes of this division.

(3) If the person is charged with a violent felony and has been committed to his or her current placement pursuant to § 1370.1 of the Penal Code or Section 6500, and the court finds (A) that the adult requesting release or for whom release is requested is not a person with a developmental or intellectual disability, or (B) that he or she is able to provide safely for his or her basic personal needs for food, shelter, and clothing, the court shall, before releasing the person, determine that the release will not pose a danger to the health or safety of others due to the person’s known behavior. If the court finds there is no danger pursuant to the finding required by subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of § 1370.1 of the Penal Code, the person shall be released within 72 hours. If the person’s release poses a danger to the health or safety of others, the court may grant or deny the request, taking into account the danger to the health or safety of others posed by the person. If the court finds that release of the person can be made subject to conditions that the court deems proper for the preservation of public health and safety and the welfare of the person, the person shall be released subject to those conditions.

(d) If in a proceeding under this section, the court finds that the adult is developmentally disabled and has no parent or conservator, and is in need of a conservator, the court shall order the appropriate regional center or the state department to initiate, or cause to be initiated, proceedings for the appointment of a conservator for the developmentally disabled adult.

(e) This section shall become operative January 1, 1988.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 25, Sec. 9. (AB 89) Effective June 27, 2013.)