Supreme Court of Minnesota
In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Anthony Blake Swope
October 8, 2025
Summary
The court held that a civilly committed patient’s court-appointed counsel may represent the patient in mandamus and habeas corpus proceedings seeking enforcement of the statutory right to timely admission to a state-operated treatment program. Because those proceedings are proceedings under chapter 253B, the financially responsible county must pay counsel a reasonable fee for that work. The court therefore reversed the court of appeals and reinstated the attorney-fee award for the extraordinary-writ proceedings.