Mark Rivers et al., Appellants, v. Stephen Katz, as Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health, et al., Respondents; In the Matter of Florence Grassi, Appellant, v. Wendy Acrish, as Executive Director of the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center, et al., Respondents, 67 N.Y.2d 485

Summary

The patients were hospitalized in a psychiatric center and were involuntarily given antipsychotic drugs. The patients brought an action to obtain a declaration of their right to refuse medication. The action was dismissed and the lower court affirmed the dismissal and the patients appealed. The court reversed and stated that the right of an adult of sound mind to determine what would be done with their own body and control over the course of their medical treatment extended to mentally ill persons. The court stated that the fact that the patients were mentally ill and were involuntarily committed, without more, did not constitute a sufficient basis to conclude they did not have the mental capacity to comprehend their decision. The court found that the antipsychotic drugs were not administered because of circumstances that would implicate the state's police power.