29. Urgency Orders
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(1) In cases of urgency where it is expedient either for the welfare of a person alleged to be of unsound mind or for the public safety, that the alleged person of unsound mind shall be forthwith placed under care and treatment, he or she may be received and detained in a mental hospital upon an urgency order, made (if possible, by the husband or wife or by a relative of the alleged person of unsound mind accompanied by one certificate of a medical officer.
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(2) An urgency order may be signed before or after the medical certificate.
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(3) If an urgency order is not signed by the husband or wife, or by a relative of the alleged person of unsound mind, the order shall contain a statement of the reasons why the same is not so signed and of the connection with the alleged person of unsound mind of the person signing the order, and the circumstances under which he or she signs the same.
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(4) A person shall not sign an urgency order unless he or she is at least 21 years of age and has within 2 days before the date of the order personally seen the alleged person of unsound mind.
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(5) An urgency order may be made as well after as before an information of unsoundness of mind has been sworn before a magistrate. An urgency order, if made before an information of unsoundness of mind has been sworn, shall be referred to in such information, and if made after the information has been sworn, a copy thereof shall forthwith be sent by the informant to the magistrate before whom the information has been sworn.
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(6) An urgency order shall remain in force for 14 days from its date; or if an inquiry as to unsoundness of mind is pending, then until the inquiry is finally disposed of.
However, in every case a copy of the urgency order and the medical certificate shall be forwarded to the Chief Medical Officer by the Medical Superintendent of the mental hospital within 48 hours of the admission thereto of the person alleged to be of unsound mind.
Inmates of Unsound Mind