Legal Definitions - confinee

Confinee

A confinee is an individual whose freedom of movement is restricted, typically by legal authority or court order, and who is held in a specific location such as a jail, hospital, or detention facility.

Here are some examples illustrating the term:

• After being arrested for shoplifting, Ms. Chen was held in a police holding cell overnight while awaiting her arraignment. During that period, she was considered a confinee.

  This example demonstrates a confinee as someone who is legally detained by law enforcement and whose liberty is restricted pending further legal proceedings.

• Mr. Davies, experiencing a severe mental health crisis, was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital by court order for his own safety and the safety of others. While at the hospital, his ability to leave was restricted, making him a confinee.

  Here, the term illustrates an individual whose freedom is restricted due to a legal order for medical or psychiatric reasons, rather than for a criminal offense.

• During the processing of his asylum application, Mr. Al-Farsi was housed in an immigration detention facility, where his ability to leave was restricted until a decision was made on his case. He was therefore a confinee.

  This example shows a confinee as someone held by government authority for administrative purposes, such as immigration processing, where their movement is legally controlled.