14-day certification for intensive treatment: maximum period

14 days after date the person was certified for intensive treatment (notice of certification under wic 5250-5252), under Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code 5250; 5257(b).

Rule text

5250: If a person is detained for 72 hours under the provisions of Article 1 (commencing with Section 5150), or under court order for evaluation pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 5200) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 5225) and has received an evaluation, the person may be certified for not more than 14 days of intensive treatment related to the mental health disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism ... 5257(b): A person who has been certified for a period of intensive treatment pursuant to Section 5250 shall be released at the end of 14 days unless the patient either:(1) Agrees to receive further treatment on a voluntary basis.(2) Is certified for an additional 14 days of intensive treatment pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 5260).(3) Is certified for an additional 30 days of intensive treatment pursuant to Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 5270.10).(4) Is the subject of a conservatorship petition filed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350).(5) Is the subject of a petition for postcertification treatment of a dangerous person filed pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 5300).

Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code 5250; 5257(b), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Friday, November 20, 2026
  1. Trigger (Date the person was certified for intensive treatment (notice of certification under WIC 5250-5252)): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 14 calendar days: Friday, November 20, 2026.
Rules applied
Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code 5250; 5257(b)
5250: If a person is detained for 72 hours under the provisions of Article 1 (commencing with Section 5150), or under court order for evaluation pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 5200) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 5225) and has received an evaluation, the person may be certified for not more than 14 days of intensive treatment related to the mental health disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism ... 5257(b): A person who has been certified for a period of intensive treatment pursuant to Section 5250 shall be released at the end of 14 days unless the patient either:(1) Agrees to receive further treatment on a voluntary basis.(2) Is certified for an additional 14 days of intensive treatment pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 5260).(3) Is certified for an additional 30 days of intensive treatment pursuant to Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 5270.10).(4) Is the subject of a conservatorship petition filed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350).(5) Is the subject of a petition for postcertification treatment of a dangerous person filed pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 5300).
Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a: "(a) If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays.(b) This section applies to Sections 659, 659a, and 921, and to all other provisions of law providing or requiring an act to be performed on a particular day or within a specified period of time, whether expressed in this or any other code or statute, ordinance, rule, or regulation." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135." Gov. Code 6800: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." Gov. Code 6804: "“Month” means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed." Gov. Code 6806: "A day is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following." CRC 1.10(a): "The time in which any act provided by these rules is to be performed is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, and then it is also excluded." CRC 1.10(b): "Unless otherwise provided by law, if the last day for the performance of any act that is required by these rules to be performed within a specific period of time falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, the period is extended to and includes the next day that is not a holiday." Elec. Code 15: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the last day for the performance of any act provided for or required by this code shall be a holiday, as defined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed.For purposes of this section, the Friday in November immediately after Thanksgiving Day shall be considered a holiday."
Official source
  • Some practitioners count the certification day as day 1; that reading gives a date one day earlier. Release date unless an exception in 5257(b) applies. Intervening voluntary periods count toward the maximum (5258). 5250 amended Stats. 2024, ch. 492 (SB 1511). Detention clocks run every calendar day; the CCP 12a weekend/holiday extension is not applied (roll 'none') because the statute limits detention or requires the hearing 'within' the period. AMBIGUITY: whether the day of certification counts as day 1 is not stated; CCP 12 excludes the first day, but facilities and courts commonly count conservatively. Calendar the earlier reading.
  • If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

Worked example

Date the person was certified for intensive treatment (notice of certification under WIC 5250-5252) on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, March 29, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date the person was certified for intensive treatment (notice of certification under WIC 5250-5252)): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 14 calendar days: Monday, March 29, 2027.

Notes

Some practitioners count the certification day as day 1; that reading gives a date one day earlier. Release date unless an exception in 5257(b) applies. Intervening voluntary periods count toward the maximum (5258). 5250 amended Stats. 2024, ch. 492 (SB 1511). Detention clocks run every calendar day; the CCP 12a weekend/holiday extension is not applied (roll 'none') because the statute limits detention or requires the hearing 'within' the period. AMBIGUITY: whether the day of certification counts as day 1 is not stated; CCP 12 excludes the first day, but facilities and courts commonly count conservatively. Calendar the earlier reading.

Related deadlines

All California special proceedings deadlines

Local rules by county

County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.