District of Columbia Code Division I. Government of District. § 7-1304.11. Periodic review of commitment order.

(a)(1) Any decision of the Court ordering commitment of a person with an intellectual disability, other than a decision of the Court ordering commitment of a person found incompetent in a criminal case to DDS pursuant to § 7-1304.06a, that was issued before May 5, 2018, shall be reviewed in a Court hearing annually. The commitment shall be terminated unless there is a finding of the following:

(2) If a person with an intellectual disability does not have capacity to give informed consent to continue the person's commitment, the following individuals, in the order of priority set forth below, shall be authorized to consent on behalf of the person with an intellectual disability to the continued commitment of the person with an intellectual disability pursuant to paragraph (1)(E) of this subsection:

(3) A decision by an individual authorized pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection to consent to the continued commitment of a person pursuant to paragraph (1)(E) of this subsection shall be based on the expressed wishes of the person or, if the wishes of the person are unknown and cannot be ascertained, on a good faith belief as to the best interests of the person.

(4) If no individual in a prior category of individuals listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection is reasonably available, mentally capable, and willing to act, authority to consent to the continued commitment of a person shall rest with the next reasonably available, mentally capable, and willing individual on the priority list.

(5) Any individual listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall have legal standing to challenge in the Court any decision made by an individual of higher priority listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(6) The order of priority established in paragraph (2) of this subsection creates a presumption that may be rebutted if an individual of lower priority is found to have better knowledge of the wishes of the person, or, if the wishes of the patient are unknown and cannot be ascertained, is better able to demonstrate a good-faith belief as to the interests of the person.

(7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to change DDS's responsibility to provide services and supports pursuant to § 7-761.05(1).

(8) For the purposes of this subsection, a prior court decision to commit a person shall not be determinative of whether the person has capacity to give informed consent to continue the person's commitment pursuant to paragraph (1)(E) of this subsection.