In Matter of Mental Condition of CJ

This is an appeal from an involuntary commitment order for C.J. entered by the Winnebago county circuit court after a jury trial. The trial court gave the standard jury instruction on involuntary commitment and submitted a special verdict to the jury consisting of three questions: (1) whether C.J. is mentally ill; (2) whether he is dangerous to himself or others, and (3) whether he is a proper subject for treatment. C.J. contends that the standard j ury instruction defining when a person is a proper subject for treatment misstates the law. The instruction allows juries to consider a person to…