District of Columbia Code
Chapter 7 - Rehabilitation of Users of Narcotics
§ 24–703. Order of examination

(a) Whenever the Mayor has probable cause to believe that any person within the District of Columbia, other than a person referred to in subsection (b) of this section, is a drug user, he forthwith shall order any law enforcement officer of the District of Columbia to bring that person before him, to conduct a preliminary examination, and if he finds sufficient evidence of addiction, as hereinbefore defined, he shall cause that person to be placed in an institution to be designated by him for an examination by physicians pursuant to § 24-705.
(b) The Mayor shall not order any person brought before him if the said person is charged with a criminal offense, whether by indictment, information, or otherwise, or if the said person is under sentence for a criminal offense, whether he is serving the sentence, or is on probation or parole, or has been released on bond pending appeal.
(June 24, 1953, 67 Stat. 77, ch. 149, § 4; July 24, 1956, 70 Stat. 609, ch. 676, title I, § 101.)
1981 Ed., § 24-603.
1973 Ed., § 24-603.
This section is referenced in § 24-702 and § 24-705.
This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.

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