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Findings and Custody Order for Involuntary Commitment

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REQUEST FOR TRANSPORTATION ORDER AND ORDER

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

County

File No.

In The General Court Of Justice

District Court Division

IN THE MATTER OF:

Name And Current Address Of Respondent

(COMMITTED SUBSTANCE ABUSER
FAILS TO COMPLY WITH TREATMENT
OR IS DISCHARGED FROM 24-HOUR FACILITY)

G.S. 122C-290(b), -205.1(b)

Date Of Substance Abuse Commitment Order

Transport To (Name And Address Of Area Facility Or Physician)

Date Period Of Commitment Expires

NOTE:

Use this form only when (1) the respondent has been committed as a substance abuser after a hearing in district court; (2) the respondent has either (a) failed to comply with all or part of prescribed outpatient treatment or (b) has been discharged from a 24-hour facility after escaping or breaching a condition of his/her release from the 24-hour facility, and 3) the respondent is to be taken to an area facility or physician for examination. DO NOT use this form in mental health cases. Mental health transportation orders are: "Request For Transportation Order And Order (Outpatient Fails But Does Not Clearly Refuse To Comply With Treatment)," AOC-SP-220; "Notice Of Need For Transportation Order And Order (From One 24-Hour Facility To Another)," AOC-SP-222; "Request For Transportation Order And Order (Outpatient Fails To Appear For Prehearing Examination)," AOC-SP-224.

REQUEST

The area facility or physician named below requests that the Clerk of Superior Court or Magistrate enter an order, pursuant to G.S. 122C-290(b), to take the Respondent named above into custody and to take the Respondent to the area facility or physician designated above for examination. In support of this request, the undersigned states:

1. A Substance Abuse Commitment Order was entered in this proceeding on the date shown above. The period of substance abuse commitment has not expired.

2. a. The area facility or physician responsible for management and supervision of the Respondent's commitment prescribed treatment on an outpatient basis; the Respondent failed to comply with all or part of the prescribed treatment after reasonable efforts to solicit the Respondent's compliance, in that (Summarize facts showing failure to comply and reasonable efforts to solicit compliance):

b. The Respondent was discharged from a 24-hour facility in accordance with G.S. 122C-205.1(b).

Date

Signature Of Physician Or Representative Of Area Facility

Physician

Representative Of Area Facility (Title)

Name Of Physician Or Representative Of Area Facility

ORDER

TO ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER:

You are ORDERED to take the Respondent named above into custody, take the Respondent immediately to the area facility or physician designated above for examination, and to turn the Respondent over to the custody of that area facility or physician.

Date

Signature

Clerk Of Superior Court

Magistrate

Assistant Clerk Of Superior Court

NOTE: See Side Two for Officer's Return(s).

AOC-SP-223, New 7/04

©2004 Administrative Office of the Courts

NOTE:

The officer who first takes the Respondent into custody shall turn the Respondent over to the custody of the specified area facility or physician. The area facility of physician may release the Respondent or "have the Respondent taken" to a 24-hour facility. If the officer who took the Respondent into custody is also officer by whom the Respondent is taken to the 24 hour facility, that officer should complete the "Officer's Return" below by checking both Option #1 and Option #3. If a different officer takes the Respondent to the 24-hour facility, the first officer should complete the "Officer's Return" below by checking only Option #1. The second officer should complete the portion headed "For Use When A Different Officer Takes Respondent To 24-Hour Facility."

OFFICER'S RETURN

Respondent Taken Into Custody

Date Time AM PM

Respondent Turned Over To Custody Of Area Facility Or Physician

Date Time AM PM

1. On the date and time shown above, I took the Respondent into custody. I took the Respondent to the specified area facility or physician and, on the date and time shown above, turned the Respondent over to the custody of that area facility or physician.

2. I DID NOT take the Respondent named above into custody because:

3. In addition to turning the Respondent over to the custody of the specified area facility or physician, I then, at the examiner's request, took the Respondent to the 24-hour facility named below and turned the Respondent over to the custody of that 24-hour facility.

Respondent Taken From Area Facility Or Physician

Date Time AM PM

Respondent Turned Over To 24-Hour Facility

Date Time AM PM

Date Of Return

Name And Address Of 24-Hour Facility

Signature Of Deputy Sheriff Or Law Enforcement Officer Making Return

Name Of Deputy Sheriff Or Law Enforcement Officer Making Return (Type Or Print)

County Of Sheriff Or City Of Law Enforcement Officer

FOR USE WHEN A DIFFERENT OFFICER TAKES RESPONDENT TO 24-HOUR FACILITY

At the examiner's request, I took the Respondent into custody at the specified area facility or physician and took the Respondent to the 24-hour facility named below and turned the Respondent over to the custody of that 24-hour facility.

Respondent Taken From Area Facility Or Physician

Date Time AM PM

Respondent Turned Over To 24-Hour Facility

Date Time AM PM

Date Of Return

Name And Address Of 24-Hour Facility

Signature Of Deputy Sheriff Or Law Enforcement Officer Making Return

Name Of Deputy Sheriff Or Law Enforcement Officer Making Return (Type Or Print)

County Of Sheriff Or City Of Law Enforcement Officer

AOC-SP-223, Side Two, New 7/04

©2004 Administrative Office of the Courts

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What the Findings and Custody Order for Involuntary Commitment Is

A Findings and Custody Order for Involuntary Commitment is a court-issued legal document that records judicial findings establishing the statutory criteria for involuntary psychiatric detention and sets the custody or treatment placement for the respondent. The order typically summarizes the factual basis for commitment, cites the statutory grounds relied upon, identifies the custody or treatment facility, directs custody transfer, and specifies the duration and review rights. It is signed by a judge or authorized judicial officer and becomes the formal basis for involuntary detention, treatment, and related administrative actions.

Why this order matters

The Findings and Custody Order creates the legal authority to detain and treat an individual involuntarily, documents judicial findings that meet statutory criteria, and sets deadlines and review rights. Accurate orders protect civil liberties, enable lawful treatment, and support administrative and appellate review processes.

Why this order matters

Who prepares and relies on the order

Several courtroom and care stakeholders draft, review, or act on this order; accuracy and timeliness are essential.

  • Judges and magistrates issue findings and custody directions for custody or treatment placement.
  • Public defenders, civil counsel, and guardians review language to protect respondent rights and appeal options.
  • Hospital and behavioral health administrators use the order to admit, transfer, or release individuals lawfully.

Each party—court staff, counsel, and facility personnel—must keep certified copies and follow the court timetable specified in the order.

Essential facts to include in the order

Court Name: Full judicial body and county
Case Number: Unique docket identifier
Respondent Details: Full legal name and DOB
Findings Summary: Statutory grounds stated
Custody Directive: Facility or custodian named
Review Period: Duration and review rights

Legal risks and consequences of errors

Civil Liability: Wrongful detention claims
Criminal Exposure: Potential contempt or abuse charges
Appellate Reversal: Order vacated on appeal
Evidence Exclusion: Court may limit use of treatment records
Regulatory Penalties: Licensing or reporting sanctions
Loss of Due Process: Failure to provide hearings or notice

Common preparation challenges to avoid

  • Incomplete factual findings that fail to tie evidence to statutory criteria.
  • Using imprecise custody language that does not name the receiving facility or responsible custodian.
  • Missing or inconsistent dates that affect the order’s effective period and appeal deadlines.
  • Failing to attach required affidavits, medical evaluations, or statutory notices to the order.

Step-by-step: completing the order

Follow a consistent sequence to reduce errors and ensure enforceability when preparing the Findings and Custody Order.

  • 01
    Prepare case header: Enter court, county, and case number
  • 02
    State findings: Summarize facts that meet statute
  • 03
    Direct custody: Name facility and custody terms
  • 04
    Sign and file: Judge signs; clerk stamps file

Workflow from hearing to placement

Typical operational flow shows how the order moves from court to treatment facility and how custody is executed.

  • Hearing held: Court hears evidence and testimony
  • Findings issued: Judge records statutory findings
  • Order prepared: Clerk or counsel drafts the order
  • Custody carried out: Facility admits or transports respondent

How to customize an online workflow for the order

Set up fields and routing to mirror courtroom steps and ensure required attachments travel with the order.

Field Configuration
Case Header Auto-populate court and case number
Findings Block Conditional text fields for statutory grounds
Attachments Require medical affidavit uploads
Routing Sequential sign-off by judge and clerk

Technical considerations for e‑filing and e‑signatures

Confirm platform capabilities and compliance before e-signing or e-filing judicial orders.

  • Document format: Use PDF/A for archival
  • Authentication: Strong signer identity verification
  • Audit trail: Capture timestamps and IPs

Platforms that support court workflows should preserve audit trails, enable certified copies, and meet applicable privacy and authentication standards.

Comparing eSignature vendor basics for court-related forms

Basic vendor features and starting prices help administrators choose an eSignature provider that meets authentication and compliance needs without assuming a single solution is right for every jurisdiction.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial No No Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Digital workflow checklist before eSubmission

Confirm these workflow settings to align online processing with court procedures and evidentiary needs.

Field Configuration
Access Control Restrict editing to clerk and counsel
Signature Order Require judge signature before clerk
Evidence Upload Make medical reports required attachments
Retention Policy Set automatic archival and export

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about legal validity, signature authority, required attachments, and post-order actions for Findings and Custody Orders.


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