How long can intoxicated persons be held without a written commitment order?

• A. Until they're sober or a maximum of 24 hours
• B. 12 hours
• C. 48 hours
• D. 72 hours

Answer: (A)

Intoxicated individuals can be held briefly for safety and evaluation without a written commitment order, but the time is limited to up to 24 hours or until they are sober, whichever comes first. This means you can detain them for at most 24 hours unless they become sober sooner. If they remain intoxicated beyond that window or there’s another need for detention, a written commitment order (or other legal process) is required to continue holding them. The other time frames don’t match this limit: shorter holds are possible but don’t reflect the maximum allowed, and longer holds without a commitment order aren’t permissible.