Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Family survivors and prosecutors back extending competency deadline for serious charges; disability advocates oppose
Summary
HB 180 would allow courts to hold charges open up to 10 years for defendants found incompetent in very serious cases; state prosecutors and a victim's family urged the change for public-safety reasons, while Disability Rights Maryland and public defenders warned it prolongs detention of people unlikely to be restored.
Delegate John Carden introduced HB 180 to the House Judiciary Committee, asking lawmakers to restore a prior 10‑year period (reduced to five years in 2012) before mandatory dismissal of certain charges against defendants found incompetent to stand trial for the most serious offenses.
Supporters from the Maryland State's Attorneys Association and a victim’s family described cases where defendants found incompetent to stand trial posed ongoing risks and where restoration treatment can take many years. Tracy Varda, who runs…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
