In the Matter of the Necessity for the Hospitalization of Stephen O

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court held that Stephen O.'s appeal was not moot because generalized collateral consequences attached to his first involuntary commitment order. On the merits, the court held that the evidence did not clearly and convincingly establish that Stephen was gravely disabled under the governing statutory standard, reversed the superior court's decision, and vacated the commitment order. Chief Justice Carpeneti, joined by Justice Fabe, dissented, concluding that the majority improperly reweighed evidence that supported the trial court's predictive finding of grave disability.