McCarthy v. Schuoler

Appellant Loretta Schuoler challenges the trial court's authorization of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) pursuant to the involuntary commitment statute. We agree that the ECT hearing below violated both statu tory and due process requirements.

A friend brought Schuoler to the Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital on August 11, 1983. At that time Schuoler was disoriented and refused to take the medication that had been prescribed for her during an earlier admission. She had not been eating or sleeping well and was unable to communicate her birth date or address when questioned by the admitting mental…