State v. M. W. - Oregon Court of Appeals Affirmation

Oregon Court of Appeals

Filed February 25th, 2026

Detected March 11th, 2026

Summary

The Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's decision committing an individual to the Oregon Health Authority for 180 days and prohibiting firearm possession. The court found no arguably meritorious issues on appeal.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Oregon Court of Appeals has affirmed a circuit court's judgment committing an individual, identified as M. W., to the Oregon Health Authority for 180 days and prohibiting the purchase or possession of firearms. The appellate court reviewed the case based on a brief filed by appointed counsel and found no "arguably meritorious issues" warranting reversal, upholding the trial court's finding that the appellant had a mental disorder and posed a danger to herself, citing her history of suicide attempts and expressions of suicidal intent.

This decision represents a final affirmation of a civil commitment order. For legal professionals involved in similar cases, this outcome reinforces the standards for commitment based on mental disorder and danger to self under Oregon law. While this is a non-precedential memorandum opinion, it serves as an example of how appellate courts review such commitments. There are no new compliance requirements or deadlines for regulated entities stemming from this specific court opinion, as it pertains to an individual case outcome.

Source document (simplified)

Support FLP

CourtListener is a project of Free
Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Members help support our work and get special access to features.

Please become a member today.

Join Free.law Now

Feb. 25, 2026 Get Citation Alerts Download PDF Add Note

State v. M. W.

Court of Appeals of Oregon

Citations: 347 Or. App. 499
Docket Number: A188524
Precedential Status: Non-Precedential
Judges: Egan
Disposition: Affirmed.
Opinion
Authorities (1)
Cited By (0)
Summaries (0)
Similar Cases (0)
PDF

Disposition

Affirmed.

Combined Opinion

No. 159 February 25, 2026 499

This is a nonprecedential memorandum opinion
pursuant to ORAP 10.30 and may not be cited
except as provided in ORAP 10.30(1).

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE
STATE OF OREGON

In the Matter of M. W.,
a Person Alleged to have Mental Illness.
STATE OF OREGON,
Respondent,
v.
M. W.,
Appellant.
Clackamas County Circuit Court
25CC04870; A188524

Michael C. Wetzel, Judge.
Submitted January 9, 2026.
Liza Langford filed the brief for appellant.
Jona J. Maukonen, Assistant Attorney General, waived
appearance for respondent.
Before Lagesen, Chief Judge, and Egan, Judge.
EGAN, J.
Affirmed.
500 State v. M. W.

EGAN, J.
Appellant seeks reversal of a judgment commit-
ting her to the custody of the Oregon Health Authority for
a period of 180 days and prohibiting the purchase or posses-
sion of firearms. Appointed counsel filed a brief pursuant to
ORAP 5.90(4) and State v. Balfour, 311 Or 434, 814 P2d 1069
(1991). The brief does not contain a Section B. See ORAP
5.90(1)(b). We affirm.1
The trial court entered the judgment after finding
that appellant had a mental disorder and posed a danger to
herself. ORS 426.005(1)(f)(A) (2019), amended by Or Laws
2025, ch 559, § 4. Appellant had a history of, among other
things, bipolar disorder and three prior suicide attempts. She
had expressed a desire to kill herself and expressed how she
would do it. She also acknowledged at the hearing that she
had blacked out in connection with driving a vehicle, and she
acknowledged that that was dangerous.
Having reviewed the record, including the trial court
file, the transcript of the civil commitment hearing, and the
Balfour brief, we have identified no arguably meritorious
issues.
Affirmed.