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Committee hears bill to start competency-restoration clock when defendants enter treatment
Summary
House Judiciary Committee testimony on House Bill 4596 would change the 15-month competency-restoration deadline so the clock begins when a defendant is admitted to a state treatment facility rather than when a court order is entered; prosecutors and a county sheriff said delays at the forensic center can leave victims without remedies.
The Michigan House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4596, a technical change to the state mental health code that would make the 15‑month competency‑restoration period begin when a defendant is admitted to a state treatment center rather than when a court enters an order finding the defendant incompetent.
Prosecutors say the change is intended to avoid dismissing serious cases before a defendant has had a real chance at treatment. "Competency pertains to a defendant's ability to assist in his defense and understand the criminal justice system," Branch County Prosecutor Zachary Stempian told the committee. He said the current timing can…
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