Can she really have me sent to institution?

[lucidion21]

Hello.. My name is Johnny Claibourn, I'm 21 and live in Southern Mississippi.. I have a really interesting issue on my hands.. To sum it up quickly.. My mother recently had a bad mental episode and left home, leaving me with my step-dad and his son.. I'm doing great here, but she seems to be doing everything that she can to ruin things for me.. She has taken my step-dad to court with all types of lies that made the judge just laugh in her face.. He could tell she was just lying.. Today, she sent me a letter along with a flier from Chancery Clerk office about Drug and Alcohol comittements.. In it, is a step-by-step guide on how to commit yourself to the institution or how she may commit me.. I was once a Marijuana user, but I gave that up when she left two months ago, I'm broken up as it is with my own mother betraying me like this so I decided it's not helping.. I'm worried, that in accordance to this flier, she can have me sent to a rehabilitation institution whether I want to go or not.. So please tell me, at my legal age, and with her not even seeing me in over two months, can she really have me put in an institution? When I did marijuana, I only did it once a week, so it's not like I was an addict, or even an avid user.. I do fine where I am, I go to mental health for problems with bipolar disorder, and I'm working on getting a job even though I am disabled.. I am happy and drug-free.. So my question to you, can she have me put torn away from my content life and placed in an institution for many months? I appreciate your hurried feedback on this troubling matter.. Thank you!

 

[Duranie]

No. Just ignore her if she is getting to you. You are an adult and she cannot force you to do anything. If I were you, stop all communication with her. You do live in her home though and that is probably going to cause you some grief should she come back. I would work on moving out on your own and getting a job.

 

[lucidion21]

I appreciate your hasty reply.. I am happy to say that this is not her home, her moving away has nulled any relationship with my step-dad, might I add they were never legally married.. I understand that you say to ignore her and to have nothing to worry about and that makes me feel better, especially knowing that you are one of the Legal Experts on the forum.. However, if I may, I will type out what the flier says to see what you make of it.. I am still worried..

"If the Person is Not Willing To Go"

A. Forms for a Drug/Alcohol Commitment are in the Clerk's office and we will assist in filling them out. This is the first step in getting a Court Order for treatment.

B. If the person is "not willing" to go, the Clerk's office must issue a Day Certain Summons. On this summons there will be a court date and time for a hearing, which is at least 10 days from the day issued. This summons must be served on the Respondent.

C. At this hearing the Special Master will take testimony from the Affiant, the Respondent and/or any witness that can testify about Respondent. The Special Master will decide whether they are "in need" of in-patient treatment.

That's all it has to say as it pertains to a hearing.. Can she have me taken to a hearing? I am disabled with a nerve disability and I fear that going to any court setting may worsen my condition to the point in which I will really need hospitalization.. Can she even take me to court as an adult? And, I worry that even now the Marijuana isn't out of my system because I have an extremely slow metabolism due to my weight. As well, I know there are other means of testing that can confirm marijuana in my system.. I appreciate your help, and the fact that you confirm that there's nothing to worry about, but I hope you can understand my skepticism with all that is going on.. My nerves allow me to believe that anything can happen.. Your further input is highly appreciated, and I appreciate your time!

 

[Duranie]

I didn't mean to sound hasty in my reply. When you said she had left the home, I thought she owned it with your step dad but if her and your step dad never married, he is technically not your step-dad correct? For legal purposes anyways.

I am not an attorney, I am not really a legal expert, but you might want to call legal aid to see if they can help you out with this. Unless mom can prove you are mentally incapacitated I still do not see how she can do anything. You might be physically disabled, but you are still an adult.

If you have to appear at a hearing, then I would say you probably should go but I would bring your step dad to see if he can be a witness to your moms unreasonable behavior.

Look in the phone book and give legal aid a call to see if they can guide you on how to handle this.

 

[lucidion21]

Your hastiness is actually quite appreciated.. Indeed, he is not legally my step-dad.. More like a personal adopted father.. I am not "mentally incapacitated" but part of my disability is based on issues with previous Bi-polar episodes.. I have not been medicated for awhile, but that is my own personal choice as I have found ways to cope with the problem on my own due to the medications doing more ill than good.. She is more or less trying to break me to the point in which my disorder will erupt once more and I feel she is merely attempting to take control of me and my disability benefits..

I greatly appreciate your past and future input to my issue. Thank you!