JOIN Details
Our Newsletter
We're thrilled that you're interested in staying
up-to-date with all the latest news
- Call us : (757) 367-8888
Hutchinson Law Center is ready to help with adoption, divorce, problems with spousal support, child custody, or other family law issues.
Address
Phone
Social Share
Fighting Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators
Under Virginia law, an individual who has been convicted of a sexually violent crime can be involuntary committed to a mental health institution in addition to serving their prison sentence on underlying offense. This process is called Civil commitment and once someone has been labeled a Sexually Violent Predator (“SVP”) it can take decades, if not longer, for them to get out from under the civil commitment process. There is no specific time limit attached to civil commitment and the only criteria used to release committed offenders is a determination by mental health professionals that they no longer pose a danger to themselves or others.
Because the process of adjudicating an offender to be sexually violent, and thereby subject to potential civil commitment, is a convoluted one, individuals may be improperly labeled as SVPs when they should not be. Also, just because someone is labeled an SVP doesn’t necessarily mean they should be involuntarily committed to a mental health institution.
If you or a loved one is facing either the prospect of being labeled a Sexually Violent Predator or being civilly committed based on your current SVP status, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. At the Hutchinson Law Center our attorneys have successfully removed offenders from secure in-patient treatment as well as the civil commitment process entirely.
While each and every case is unique, our team knows how to develop a strategy tailored to your individual needs, whether that is being released from the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation (VCBR) or removing the SVP label entirely. Know that when you hire an attorney at our office, you are hiring an entire team dedicated to protecting your rights, preserving your dignity and fighting aggressively to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
