Steps Necessary for Arranging a Court Ordered Addiction Rehabilitation Program

Sometimes court ordered alcohol abuse treatment or drug addiction treatment is the only way to ensure that someone you love gets help for their alcohol or drug addiction. However, before you pursue the legal process of ordering such treatment, ask your loved one once again if he or she will go to detox and rehab. The answer may well be "No," but at least you will know that you tried everything within your power as a private citizen. When someone you love refuses to get help for an addiction that threatens his or her life and family, court ordered treatment may be requested. Learn About the Florida Marchman Act The Florida Marchman Act is a legal process that allows a family member or other loved ones to petition the court to have a person legally ordered to attend a court ordered addiction rehabilitation program. The process involves multiple court hearings, and the person with the addiction can be assigned an attorney to represent him or her throughout. Using the Marchman Act is not easy, but if you follow all the steps and are able to prove that your loved one has lost the ability to make sound decisions and poses a risk to himself / herself or others, court ordered alcohol abuse treatment or addiction treatment may be approved. Consider Hiring and Attorney to Help With the Process You do not have to have an attorney to go through the Marchman Act process, but it often helps tremendously. For one thing, attorneys with experience using the process know what possible mistakes can be made and can help you avoid them. For another, your loved one will generally have his or her own attorney throughout the process. Without legal counsel, one technical mistake on your part could derail the entire process. Gather Information Needed for Hearings Whether you work with an experienced attorney or on your own, you will need to gather evidence that your loved one's addiction is out of control and that refusing treatment could result in permanent harm, death, or the destruction of the family. If your loved one is not a family member, you can still invoke the Marchman Act, but you will need the assistance of the person's family or of two other friends who have firsthand knowledge of the severity of the addiction. Attend All Court Hearings on Your Loved One's Case Even if you have an attorney to help shepherd you through the process of getting court ordered addiction or alcohol treatment, it is important that you attend all meetings with your attorney and hearings related to the case. Your loved one may react angrily to your actions, but you could well be saving a life by pursuing court ordered treatment. Invoking the Marchman Act should never be taken lightly, and nobody enjoys having to go to a judge to get someone into treatment, but in some cases it is the only way to ensure that the addict you love gets the help that he or she needs.