Texas · Through 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025

Tex. Health and Safety Code § 81.172: ORDER FOR TEMPORARY MANAGEMENT.

(a) The judge or jury may determine that a person requires court-ordered examination, observation, isolation, or treatment only if the judge or jury finds, from clear and convincing evidence, that:
(1) the person is infected with or is reasonably suspected of being infected with a communicable disease that presents a threat to the public health and, if the application is for inpatient treatment, has failed or refused to follow the orders of the health authority or department; and
(2) as a result of the communicable disease the person:
(A) is likely to cause serious harm to himself; or
(B) will, if not examined, observed, isolated, or treated, continue to endanger public health.
(b) The judge or jury must specify each criterion listed in Subsection (a)(2) that forms the basis for the decision.
(c) The person or the person's attorney, by a written document filed with the court, may waive the right to cross-examine witnesses, and the court may admit, as evidence, the affidavit of medical evaluation. The affidavit admitted under this subsection constitutes competent medical testimony, and the court may make its findings solely from the affidavit.
(d) An order for temporary management shall state that examinations, treatment, and surveillance are authorized for a period not longer than 90 days.
(e) The department, with the cooperation of the head of the facility, shall submit to the court a general program of treatment to be provided. The program must be submitted not later than the 14th day after the date the order is issued and must be incorporated into the court order.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 242, Sec. 11, eff. May 23, 1997.

Where this section sits in the code

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
TITLE 2. HEALTH
SUBTITLE D. PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND REPORTS OF DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES
CHAPTER 81. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS; PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES
SUBCHAPTER G. COURT ORDERS FOR MANAGEMENT OF PERSONS WITH COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

(a) The judge or jury may determine that a person requires court-ordered examination, observation, isolation, or treatment only if the judge or jury finds, from clear and convincing evidence, that:

(1) the person is infected with or is reasonably suspected of being infected with a communicable disease that presents a threat to the public health and, if the application is for inpatient treatment, has failed or refused to follow the orders of the health authority or department; and

(2) as a result of the communicable disease the person:

(A) is likely to cause serious harm to himself; or

(B) will, if not examined, observed, isolated, or treated, continue to endanger public health.

(b) The judge or jury must specify each criterion listed in Subsection (a)(2) that forms the basis for the decision.

(c) The person or the person's attorney, by a written document filed with the court, may waive the right to cross-examine witnesses, and the court may admit, as evidence, the affidavit of medical evaluation. The affidavit admitted under this subsection constitutes competent medical testimony, and the court may make its findings solely from the affidavit.

(d) An order for temporary management shall state that examinations, treatment, and surveillance are authorized for a period not longer than 90 days.

(e) The department, with the cooperation of the head of the facility, shall submit to the court a general program of treatment to be provided. The program must be submitted not later than the 14th day after the date the order is issued and must be incorporated into the court order.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 242, Sec. 11, eff. May 23, 1997.

Collected 2026-08-27T01:47:17Z. Source file · JSON

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