Matter of Venegas

The trial court ordered Patrick Venegas to be involuntarily admitted to the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities for a period not to exceed 60 days. The respondent appeals that order. We reverse.

The record shows that on July 20, 1990, a petition for the involuntary admission of Patrick Venegas was filed. At the hearing on the petition, Dr. Sreehari Patiblanda testified that the respondent suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and an anti-social personality disorder. The doctor’s opinion was that the respondent could reasonably be expected to inflict serious physical harm…