In Re David B.
David B. appeals an order of the circuit court of Randolph County entered on June 22, 2005, finding him to be a person subject to involuntary admission and ordering his continued hospitalization at the Chester Mental Health Center. Respondent filed a timely pro se notice of appeal on July 20, 2005. His appointed counsel filed an amended notice of appeal on August 15, 2005, in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 303(b)(4) (Official Reports Advance Sheet No. 7 (March 30, 2005), R. 303(b)(4), eff. March 18, 2005). On appeal, respondent argues the trial court‘s judgment should be reversed because (1) the State did not meet the statutory requirements for his involuntary admission in that it failed to produce at least one expert to testify at his involuntary admission hearing who had recently performed a personal examination on him and (2) the trial court‘s judgment was against the manifest weight of the evidence. We affirm.
I. Statement of Facts
A. Background
In 1981, respondent, David B., was convicted of three counts of indecent liberties with a child. This court affirmed his appeal in that case. People v. David B.,1 95 Ill.App.3d 1132, 51 Ill.Dec. 518, 420 N.E.2d 1076 (1981). Respondent was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
On May 9, 1986, a petition for respondent‘s involuntary admission for hospitalization in the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
To this day respondent remains at Chester Mental Health Center. Prior to 2005, a review of his confinement has come before this court at least 28 times, and each time this court has affirmed respondent‘s involuntary confinement.2 In the vast majority of these appeals, this court has noted trial evidence bearing on respondent‘s consistent refusal to accept any treatment3
B. June 22, 2005, Hearing
Carole Metzger, a licensed clinical social worker employed by Chester Mental Health Center, was charged with examining respondent for the purpose of testifying as the State‘s expert witness at the hearing on respondent‘s continued involuntary admission. At the hearing, Metzger testified that respondent simply refused to speak with her when she attempted to personally examine him. Although she was successful in examining him in 2002, Metzger testified that respondent‘s lack of cooperation was a consistent pattern of refusals to talk with his therapist or anyone else about his pedophilic behavior. Metzger also testified that respondent had told her he refused to speak with her because she would testify at the next hearing regarding his involuntary confinement.
Metzger further testified about respondent‘s long history of diagnosed mental illness. Respondent had been committed at Chester Mental Health Center since 1986 but also had been admitted at the Zeller Mental Health Institution in 1973. According to his medical records, respondent has a delusional disorder, has a personality disorder of paranoia, and is a pedophile. He also has a history of persecutory delusions with projections of blame and suspiciousness. He has written threatening letters to officials at the Department of Children and Family Services and the State‘s Attorney‘s office. He has a history of sexually inappropriate expression with pedophilia and a preoccupation with sadomasochistic sexual fantasies. Metzger attributed his current lack of violent outbreaks and aggressiveness to the structured environment of the mental health center. She believed that without this environment he would cease taking his medication and would be a threat to himself and to others. Metzger also testified she did not believe that respondent would be able to take care of himself if released.
Respondent testified on his own behalf at the hearing, stating that the reason he refused to speak with Metzger was that he had been sleeping and had not been totally oriented. He also stated that his only illness was depression and that he thought he could take care of himself if released. Respondent failed to contradict the State‘s case, except to deny that he was a pedophile. We also note that respondent never objected to Metzger‘s testimony, nor did he move to dismiss the State‘s petition on the ground that an expert had not recently examined him.
II. Analysis
Respondent now appeals the latest order for involuntary admission, arguing that the State failed to have him examined pursuant the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code (Code) (
A. Examination Required Under Statute
In his first point, respondent argues the order of confinement must be reversed because the State‘s expert failed to examine him in a manner consistent with the requirements of section 3-807 of the Code (
“No respondent may be found subject to involuntary admission unless at least one psychiatrist, clinical social worker, or clinical psychologist who has examined him testifies in person at the hearing. The respondent may waive the requirement of the testimony subject to the approval of the court.”
405 ILCS 5/3-807 (West 2000).
The supreme court has allowed a doctor to testify about an involuntarily committed person based entirely on a review of the patient‘s records, discussions with staff members, and prior observations of the respondent. People v. Lang, 113 Ill.2d 407, 468-69, 101 Ill.Dec. 597, 498 N.E.2d 1105, 1133 (1986) (“[W]e do not construe section 3-208 [of the Code (Ill.Rev.Stat. 1983, ch. 91½, par. 3-208)] as barring an examiner‘s testimony if it is derived from other sources. Here, respondent refused to communicate with Dr. Ney for any reason, and the doctor‘s testimony was based entirely on his review of the records, discussions with Chicago-Read staff members, and his prior observations of respondent. As such, his testimony was properly allowed by the circuit court“). This court has allowed the same. In re David B., 247 Ill.App.3d 234, 239, 186 Ill.Dec. 524, 616 N.E.2d 714, 719 (1993). Relying on Lang, the court in In re Pritchett, 148 Ill.App.3d 746, 749-50, 102 Ill.Dec. 249, 499 N.E.2d 1029, 1031-32 (1986), held that a doctor may testify at a respondent‘s hearing for involuntary admission and base his or her testimony upon the observations of the respondent‘s condition when the respondent refuses an examination and when the doctor fails to inform the respondent of his right to remain silent under section 3-208, since no statement the respondent made was used by the examining physician in forming the opinion on the respondent‘s mental condition that was offered at the hearing.
Recently, the supreme court found that even though an examiner had been unsuccessful in an attempt to interview the respondent the day before the hearing, it was sufficient for the examiner to testify under section 3-807 when the examiner was directly involved in the respondent‘s care, was a consultant in the respondent‘s treatment team, and met with the respondent in a group session within three days of the hearing. In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d 428, 439, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d 987, 993 (2004).
Respondent also cites In re Michelle J., a consolidated appeal in which the supreme court found that although it was appropriate for Michelle‘s clinical psychologist to testify for the reasons stated above, Sam‘s involuntary admission could not be extended based on the testimony of a psychologist who had not examined the patient. In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d 428, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d 987. Although neither expert had personally interviewed the patients, their competency to testify was due to the level of involvement with the individual respondents. In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d at 438-39, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d at 992-93. Sam‘s psychologist was “‘not directly involved in his treatment‘” and had “‘never been directly involved in his treatment.‘” In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d at 431, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d at 989. “In contrast to * * * Sam‘s case, however, [Michelle‘s psychologist] did have personal knowledge
In In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d 482, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d 555 (1998), the supreme court held that because the expert had not personally examined the respondent in connection with that case and the respondent‘s situation at that time, the requirements of section 3-807 had not been satisfied. The supreme court likened the facts surrounding Barbara H. to the facts surrounding Sam in In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d at 435-36, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d at 990-91. Neither had been interviewed by an expert.
Given the holdings in the latter cases, what does constitute an appropriate examination under section 3-807 is the subject of some debate. See In re Michelle J., 209 Ill.2d at 439, 283 Ill.Dec. 699, 808 N.E.2d at 993 (Thomas, J., specially concurring). Much has been made with respect to the language in In re Barbara H. that holds that a case for involuntary admission cannot be entirely predicated on the testimony of a physician who has not personally examined the individual sought to be committed. In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d at 497, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d at 562. Respondent asks this court to read that language so broadly that it renders insufficient the evidence adduced against him and requires his release. We do not read In re Barbara H. so broadly, nor do we believe that it mandates the release of respondent here.
The individual in In re Barbara H. was a woman who was alleged to be mentally ill and unable to care for her basic physical needs. In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d at 486, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d at 557. The State sought to have her involuntarily confined, and it administered psychotropic drugs against her wishes. In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d at 487, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d at 557. There was no evidence that Barbara H. posed any risk of harm to others or that she had participated in such proceedings previously. Moreover, during the hearing in question, a public defender, who, it turned out, had never been appointed to represent her, waived Barbara H.‘s rights to be present during the hearing. In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d at 494-95, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d at 561. The supreme court found that the lower court had “allowed [her] rights to be surrendered by a stranger,” and the supreme court stated, “Her statutory right to counsel * * * was reduced to no more than an empty formality.” In re Barbara H., 183 Ill.2d at 496, 234 Ill.Dec. 215, 702 N.E.2d at 561.
The procedural infirmities that plagued the hearing in In re Barbara H. do not remotely resemble the reasonable proceeding afforded David B. Moreover, while Barbara H. appeared to be a person wrestling with a mental disorder, there was no evidence that she was purposefully uncooperative. Nor does the record reflect she was a veteran of such court proceedings,
In In re Barbara H., the supreme court did not reach the question of the effect of a conscious decision by the patient not to talk in order to escape involuntary confinement or otherwise to frustrate an effort by the State to maintain confinement. A reviewing court opinion is a precedent only for what is actually decided, and it is not a precedent for issues that could have been decided but were not. Bergin v. Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System, 31 Ill.2d 566, 574-75, 202 N.E.2d 489, 494 (1964); Save the Prairie Society v. Greene Development Group, Inc., 338 Ill.App.3d 800, 803, 273 Ill.Dec. 489, 789 N.E.2d 389, 392 (2003); Schusse v. Pace Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, 334 Ill.App.3d 960, 968 n. 1, 268 Ill.Dec. 645, 779 N.E.2d 259, 266 n. 1 (2002).
The court in In re Collins, 102 Ill. App.3d 138, 148, 57 Ill.Dec. 633, 429 N.E.2d 531, 539 (1981), expressed “severe reservations as to the efficacy of the statutory scheme provided in the present Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.” The court described situations meriting “special attention,” including the following one:
“[T]here is the situation in which the mentally ill person ‘understands’ his rights and still refuses to talk to physicians. If he can avoid making any statements to the doctor [citation], then the attending physicians will have to look solely to outside sources or rely on nonverbal conduct of the respondent to arrive at a diagnosis, thereby making the diagnostic process much more difficult.” In re Collins, 102 Ill.App.3d at 146-47, 57 Ill.Dec. 633, 429 N.E.2d at 538.
This case is one of those situations. We find guidance in Allen v. Illinois, where the United States Supreme Court affirmed the Illinois Supreme Court‘s finding that proceedings under the Illinois Sexually Dangerous Persons Act (Ill.Rev.Stat.1985, ch. 38, par. 105-1.01 et seq.) were not “criminal” within the meaning of the fifth amendment‘s guarantee against compulsory self-incrimination. Allen v. Illinois, 478 U.S. 364, 106 S.Ct. 2988, 92 L.Ed.2d 296 (1986). Specifically, the Supreme Court noted with approval the observations of the Illinois Supreme Court when it found, “[T]he State‘s interest in treating, and protecting the public from, sexually dangerous persons would be ‘almost totally thwarted’ by allowing those persons to refuse to answer questions posed in psychiatric interviews * * *.” Allen, 478 U.S. at 367, 106 S.Ct. at 2991, 92 L.Ed.2d at 303.
The same logic applies here, given that section 3-208 of the Code provides that a respondent has an absolute right to refuse to talk to an examiner, that the examiner must inform the respondent of that right, and that the examiner may not testify at a hearing if the respondent has not been notified of that right.
We hold that section 3-807 of the Code requires the examiner to attempt a personal interview but that if the respondent refuses or is intentionally uncooperative, then the statutory examination may be based on discussions with treating staff and a review of medical records.
B. Against the Manifest Weight of the Evidence
Respondent‘s second argument is that the trial court‘s ruling should be reversed because it was against the manifest weight of the evidence.
A person may be found subject to involuntary admission only where it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that he meets the statutory criteria.
For purposes of an involuntary commitment proceeding, it is proper for an expert witness to examine a respondent‘s complete psychiatric history in forming his opinion concerning the respondent‘s current and future dangerousness. In re Robert H., 302 Ill.App.3d 980, 236 Ill.Dec. 419, 707 N.E.2d 264 (1999). As noted above, respondent has a long-documented psychiatric history. In In re David B., 247 Ill.App.3d 234, 256-57, 186 Ill.Dec. 524, 616 N.E.2d 714, 730 (1993), this court found that the evidence in respondent‘s involuntary admission proceeding supported the examining doctors’ assessment that there was a reasonable expectation that David B. might engage in dangerous conduct if he were to be released. An expert testified that David B. was suffering from mental illness, pedophilia, and other personality disorders which affected his insight and judgment and that, therefore, he was a danger to himself and to others. This court also found that David B. failed to cooperate in psychotherapy and medication treatment. The assessment of the doctors that David B.‘s impaired judgment and inability to control his behavior caused him to be a danger to himself and others was corroborated by David B.‘s drawing, in explicit detail, a female child with genitalia and his testimony indicating a preoccupation with naked female children and his inability to recognize that he has a problem in this regard.
A review of the record and our previous orders leads us to conclude that the State met its burden of proving clearly and convincingly that David B. is subject to continued involuntary confinement. Respondent
This court has found that respondent suffers from mental illness and is a pedophile, not just in one published opinion but in numerous unpublished orders under Supreme Court Rule 23. Although Rule 23 orders are not precedential, they may be cited for contentions such as res judicata, collateral estoppel, and the law of the case. 166 Ill.2d R. 23(e). A final judgment between the same parties is binding in later litigation under the rule of res judicata for all the issues decided and is binding under the rule of collateral estoppel for all the findings of fact. LaSalle Bank National Ass‘n v. Village of Bull Valley, 355 Ill.App.3d 629, 635, 292 Ill.Dec. 308, 826 N.E.2d 449, 455-56 (2005); Bickel v. Subway Development of Chicagoland, Inc., 354 Ill.App.3d 1090, 1102, 290 Ill.Dec. 884, 822 N.E.2d 469, 479 (2004). Respondent has been convicted of sexually abusing little girls (People v. David B., 95 Ill.App.3d 1132, 51 Ill.Dec. 518, 420 N.E.2d 1076 (1981)), and we have upheld numerous findings that he is a dangerous pedophile who would in all probability prey on young children if released (In re David B., 247 Ill.App.3d 234, 186 Ill.Dec. 524, 616 N.E.2d 714 (1993); People v. David B., No. 5-86-0588, 158 Ill.App.3d 1105, 121 Ill.Dec. 543, 525 N.E.2d 601 (1987) (unpublished Rule 23 order); In re David B., No. 5-94-0230, 269 Ill.App.3d 1155, 226 Ill.Dec. 362, 685 N.E.2d 465 (1995) (unpublished Rule 23 order); David B. v. State, No. 5-95-0427, 278 Ill.App.3d 1160, 232 Ill.Dec. 841, 699 N.E.2d 618 (1996) (unpublished Rule 23 order); In re David B., No. 5-95-0837, 278 Ill.App.3d 1160, 232 Ill.Dec. 841, 699 N.E.2d 618 (1996) (unpublished Rule 23 order)). Additionally, for nearly every hearing over the past 20 years we have found that David B. refuses to accept treatment for his sexual problem and denies that his pedophilia is a problem. See op. 306 Ill.Dec. at 359-360, 857 N.E.2d at 758-759, nn. 3, 4, 5, & 6.
We find that it was not against the manifest weight of the evidence for the court to find that David B. has a mental disorder and, if released, would be a threat to himself and to others. Metzger testified she was familiar with respondent‘s case, had consulted with other experts familiar with respondent‘s case, and had reviewed respondent‘s records in preparation for the involuntary confinement hearing. Metzger testified that respondent suffered not only from pedophilia but also from paranoia, delusional disorder, and sadomasochistic sexual fantasies. His paranoia manifested itself in persecutory delusions, projections of blame, suspiciousness, and threats to persons of authority. She came to the conclusion there has been no change in his circumstances to warrant his release.
Our examination of the entire record and previous orders reveals that David B. continuously refuses all treatment with regard to his condition. It was not against the manifest weight of the evidence for the trial judge to conclude, given the testimony, that a convicted pedophile who continues to refuse treatment would continue to be a threat to himself or to others.
III. Conclusion
The judgment of the lower court is affirmed.
Affirmed.
WELCH and DONOVAN, JJ., concur.