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Abstract: 

Detainees incarcerated while waiting for court-ordered competency evaluations and restoration services face extraordinary hardships in city and county jails, including extended isolation, overcrowding, and delays in evaluation and treatment—all of which can exacerbate existing mental health issues. In a case combining most of these conditions, Washington State Chief Judge Pechman takes a hard look at what amounts to a system-wide failure of due process, and issues an order to effect needed change.

Keywords: Trueblood v. Washington State Dept. of Social and Health Services; competency evaluations; restoration services; liberty interests

Affiliations:  1: Executive Editor.