If you have decided that filing a petition to Marchman Act your loved one is the only option left, the next step will be filing the paperwork. Marchman Act Packages are held at county courthouses for you to file. Florida Marchman Act Services can help you navigate through your options and filing the paperwork properly and efficiently.
The Package will contain general information for the petitioner, a flowchart that outlines how the process will be carried out, and documents ordering an assessment and treatment. The forms are:
Petition for Involuntary Assessment and Stabilization
Ex-Parte (Emergency) Petition for Involuntary Assessment and Stabilization
Petition for Involuntary Treatment
Once the petitions are signed, they will be sent through the Clerk of Court to the Sheriff or to a Petitioner and will be served to the individual. Once that occurs, both parties will be ordered to appear in court before a General Magistrate, where a judgement will be passed on whether the petition will be approved or dismissed.
The documents are legal filings and require everything to be done in proper order. Choosing the proper paperwork and which petition to sign, when to appear, the process of serving the individual, and what happens if the case is approved, can sometimes be confusing, which can cause delays in the court processing. This is why Florida Marchman Act Services can be an essential tool in helping your family through this legal process as quickly and systematically as possible.