Shannon J. v. R.A.J.

MESCHKE, Justice.

When a patient, who is dangerously and mentally ill, refuses the most effective long-term medicine, should a forced-medication order conditionally authorize more than one combination of medicines, depending on later refusals? To answer that question, RAJ. appealed an order for forced medication. We modify and affirm it.

On August 19, 1996, his son petitioned in Ward County for involuntary hospitalization of R.A.J., a 62-year-old, retired farm laborer. The petition alleged RAJ. was “paranoid, irrational, possibly borderline schizophrenic,” and “likely to injure himself or other…