Upon the filing of a petition under this article, the court shall notify the person whose liberty is involved, and if he or she is a minor, his or her parent or guardian if practicable, of the application and shall afford him or her an opportunity to appear in court with the aid of counsel and of process to compel attendance of witnesses and production of evidence. When he or she is unable to provide his or her own counsel, the court shall appoint counsel to represent him or her.
In the case of any person who is the subject of such a petition and who is under the control of the Youth Authority for the commission of any offense of rape in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 262 or subdivision (2) or subdivision (3) of Section 261 of the Penal Code, or murder, the Department of the Youth Authority shall send written notice of the petition and of any hearing set for the petition to each of the following persons: the attorney for the person who is the subject of the petition, the district attorney of the county from which the person was committed, and the law enforcement agency that investigated the case. The department shall also send written notice to the victim of the rape or the next of kin of the person murdered if he or she requests notice from the department and keeps it apprised of his or her current mailing address. Notice shall be sent at least 30 days before the hearing.
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 4, Sec. 44. Effective April 8, 2003. Operative January 1, 2004, by Sec. 52 of Ch. 4.)