In the Matter of the Necessity for the Hospitalization of A.L., In the Matter if the Necessity for the Hospitalization of: A.L.

── In the Matter of the Necessity for the Hospitalization of A.L., In the Matter if the Necessity for the Hospitalization of: A.L. ── Case No.: S18961, S18971 Court: Alaska Supreme Court Date: March 11, 2026 Category: General NOTICE Memorandum decisions of this court do not create legal precedent. A party wishing to cite such a decision in a brief or at oral argument should review Alaska Appellate Rule 214(d). THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA In the Matter of the Necessity for the ) Hospitalization of ) Supreme Court Nos. S-18961/18971 ) A.L. ) Superior Court No. 3AN-23-02543 PR ) ) MEMORANDUM OPINION ) AND JUDGMENT* ) ) No. 2138 – March 11, 2026 Appeal from the Superior Court of the State of Alaska, Third Judicial District, Anchorage, Andrew Guidi, Judge. Appearances: Megan R. Webb, Assistant Public Defender and Terrence Haas, Public Defender, Anchorage, for A.L., Robert Bacaj, Assistant Attorney General, Anchorage, and Treg Taylor, Attorney General, for State of Alaska. Before: Carney, Chief Justice, and Borghesan, Henderson, Pate, and Oravec, Justices. INTRODUCTION A man suffering from delusions of a home invasion fired a shotgun into a neighboring duplex. The superior court authorized his involuntary commitment to a psychiatric institute for 30 days and the administration of non-crisis psychotropic medication. Shortly before the 30-day commitment order was set to expire, the superior court authorized 90 additional days of involuntary commitment. * Entered under Alaska Appellate Rule 214.  On appeal, the man challenges the medication order and the 90-day commitment order. He argues that the State failed to establish by clear and convincing evidence that there was no less restrictive alternative to the administration of psychotropic medication or to confinement. Observing no error, we affirm the court’s orders. FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS A. Facts As an adult, A.L. began to suffer from delusions that people had conspired against, poisoned, and attacked him and his family.1 One night in October 2023, while experiencing delusions that people were conspiring against, poisoning, and attacking him and his family, he fired gunshots into an adjoining duplex. Following the shooting, A.L. was arrested and placed in the forensic unit at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) for competency restoration. After a month passed, the criminal case against him was dismissed, and API staff petitioned for an order authorizing him to be hospitalized for a mental health evaluation. The superior court granted the evaluation petition. B. Proceedings 1. Thirty-day commitment hearing In November, API staff filed a petition for 30-day commitment, alleging that A.L. was mentally ill and likely to cause serious harm to others because he intended to return to the duplex where he had shot through the wall. A superior court master held a 30-day commitment hearing that same day. The court first heard testimony from a psychiatrist at API. The psychiatrist testified that A.L. had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. He explained that A.L.’s delusions regarding the home invasion had not abated 1 We use initials at A.L.’s request to protect his privacy. -2- 2138 in his time at API, that A.L. did not believe that he was suffering from a mental illness, and that he had refused any treatment or medication. The psychiatrist expre