Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 44 > Chapter 23 > Article 1 - Definitions and General Matter

• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Department: means the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Director: means the Director of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• facility: means any hospital, clinic, or other institution maintained by the department. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Gravely disabled: means a person who, due to mental illness, lacks sufficient insight or capacity to make responsible decisions with respect to his treatment and because of this condition is likely to cause harm to himself through neglect, inability to care for himself, personal injury, or otherwise. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Hospital: means a public or private hospital. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Nearest friend: means any responsible person who, in the absence of a parent, guardian, or spouse, undertakes to act for and on behalf of another individual who is incapable of acting for himself for that individual's benefit, whether or not the individual for whose benefit he acts is under legal disability. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Parent: means natural parent, adoptive parent, stepparent, or person with legal custody. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Patient: means a person who seeks hospitalization or treatment under the provisions of this chapter, Chapter 9, Chapter 11, Chapter 13, Article 1 of Chapter 15, Chapter 17, Chapter 27, Chapter 48, and Chapter 52 or any person for whom such hospitalization or treatment is sought. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Person with a mental illness: means a person with a mental disease to such an extent that, for the person's own welfare or the welfare of others or of the community, the person requires care, treatment, or hospitalization. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Treatment: means the broad range of emergency, outpatient, intermediate, and inpatient services and care that may be extended to a patient, including diagnostic evaluation and medical, psychiatric, psychological, and social service care and vocational rehabilitation and counseling. See South Carolina Code 44-23-10
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.