Washington Code 10.77.200 – Release — Procedure

(1) Upon application by the committed or conditionally released person, the secretary shall determine whether or not reasonable grounds exist for release. In making this determination, the secretary may consider the reports filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140, and 10.77.160, and other reports and evaluations provided by professionals familiar with the case. If the secretary approves the release he or she then shall authorize the person to petition the court.

Attorney's Note

Under the Washington Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:

Class	Prison	Fine
class A felony	up to life	up to $50,000

For details, see Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.20.021

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Terms Used In Washington Code 10.77.200

Acquittal:
1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
2. A verdict of "not guilty."
Conditional release: means modification of a court-ordered commitment, which may be revoked upon violation of any of its terms. See Washington Code 10.77.010
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
Developmental disabilities professional: means a person who has specialized training and experience in directly treating or working with persons with developmental disabilities and is a psychiatrist or psychologist, or a social worker, and such other developmental disabilities professionals as may be defined by rules adopted by the secretary. See Washington Code 10.77.010
Developmental disability: means the condition as defined in RCW 71A. See Washington Code 10.77.010
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.
Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
Indigent: means any person who is indigent as defined in RCW 10. See Washington Code 10.77.010
person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
Professional person: means :

Washington Code 10.77.010

Release: means legal termination of the court-ordered commitment under the provisions of this chapter. See Washington Code 10.77.010

Secretary: means the secretary of the department of social and health services or his or her designee. See Washington Code 10.77.010

Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.

(2) In instances in which persons have not made application for release, but the secretary believes, after consideration of the reports filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140, and 10.77.160, and other reports and evaluations provided by professionals familiar with the case, that reasonable grounds exist for release, the secretary may petition the court. If the secretary petitions the court for release under this subsection, notice of the petition must be provided to the person who is the subject of the petition and to his or her attorney.

(3) The petition shall be served upon the court and the prosecuting attorney. The court, upon receipt of the petition for release, shall within 45 days order a hearing. Continuance of the hearing date shall only be allowed for good cause shown. The prosecuting attorney shall represent the state, and shall have the right to have the person who is the subject of the petition examined by an expert or professional person of the prosecuting attorney’s choice. If the secretary is the petitioner, the attorney general shall represent the secretary. If the person who is the subject of the petition is indigent, and the person so requests, the court shall assist the person in obtaining a qualified expert or professional person to examine him or her. An expert or professional person obtained by an indigent person who was committed to state psychiatric care following acquittal by reason of insanity shall be compensated out of funds of the office of public defense as provided in policies and procedures under chapter 2.70 RCW, in a manner consistent with the rules of professional conduct and the standards for indigent defense. If the person who is the subject of the petition has a developmental disability, the examination shall be performed by a developmental disabilities professional. The hearing shall be before a jury if demanded by either the petitioner or the prosecuting attorney. The burden of proof shall be upon the petitioner to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the person who is the subject of the petition no longer presents, as a result of a mental disease or defect, a substantial danger to other persons, or a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security, unless kept under further control by the court or other persons or institutions. If the person who is the subject of the petition will be transferred to a state correctional institution or facility upon release to serve a sentence for any class A felony, the petitioner must show that the person’s mental disease or defect is manageable within a state correctional institution or facility, but must not be required to prove that the person does not present either a substantial danger to other persons, or a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security, if released.

(4) For purposes of this section, a person affected by a mental disease or defect in a state of remission is considered to have a mental disease or defect requiring supervision when the disease may, with reasonable medical probability, occasionally become active and, when active, render the person a danger to others. Upon a finding that the person who is the subject of the petition has a mental disease or defect in a state of remission under this subsection, the court may deny release, or place or continue such a person on conditional release.

(5) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the patient from petitioning the court for release or conditional release from the institution in which he or she is committed. The petition shall be served upon the court, the prosecuting attorney, and the secretary. Upon receipt of such petition, the secretary shall develop a recommendation as provided in subsection (1) of this section and provide the secretary’s recommendation to all parties and the court. The issue to be determined on such proceeding is whether the patient, as a result of a mental disease or defect, is a substantial danger to other persons, or presents a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security, unless kept under further control by the court or other persons or institutions.

(6) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the committed person from petitioning for release by writ of habeas corpus.

[ 2023 c 120 § 12; 2013 c 289 § 7; 2010 c 263 § 8; 2000 c 94 § 16; 1998 c 297 § 44; 1993 c 31 § 11; 1989 c 420 § 11; 1983 c 25 § 2; 1974 ex.s. c 198 § 16; 1973 1st ex.s. c 117 § 20.]