Opinion
No. 44, September Term, 1997
December 12, 1997, Filed
ARGUED BY Anderew H. Baida, Assistant Attorney General (J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General; David R. Morgan, Assistant Attorney General, all on brief) of Baltimore, MD, FOR PETITIONER.
ARGUED BY Kelly Bagby (Cathy S. Surace, Steven Ney, Maryland Disability Law Center, on brief) of Largo, MD, FOR RESPONDENT.
AMICUS CURIAE Maryland Psychiatric Society, Inc., Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Inc., Taylor Manor Hospital, and Sheppard Pratt Health System, Inc. American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, the American Orthopsychiatric Association, and the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
PER CURIAM ORDER
In light of circumstances occurring after the institution of this action, which were mentioned in the parties' briefs before this Court and which were explained in greater detail at oral argument, it is clear that the case has become moot.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is this 12th day of December, 1997,
ORDERED, by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, a majority of the Court concurring, that the judgment of the Court of Special Appeals be, and it is hereby, vacated and the case is remanded to the Court of Special Appeals with directions to vacate the judgment of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County and to remand the case to the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County with directions to dismiss the case on the ground of mootness. Costs to be paid by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
/s/ Robert M. Bell
Chief Judge