Jarvis v. Levine

OPINION

FOLEY, Judge.

This case involves the qualified right of a state hospital patient, involuntarily committed as mentally ill and dangerous, to refuse neuroleptic medication in nonemergency circumstances and the correlative duties of state officials prior to forced administration of such medication. Appellant Homer Jarvis commenced this action for damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and for declaratory and injunctive relief on behalf of himself and others similarly situated. 1 Four claims are asserted in the complaint: (1) that the Minnesota Department of Human Service (DHS) employees…