to be the case, and the relationship of the applicant to the person. a person cannot be held for more than 48 hours, and must be released by 4 pm on the day the 48-hour period ends, unless: a written order for protective custody is obtained, the 48-hour period ends on a saturday, sunday, or legal holiday, or before 4 pm on the first succeeding business day (in which case the person may only be held until 4 pm on the first succeeding business day), or if extremely hazardous weather events exist or a disaster occurs (in which case, the period may be extended in 24-hour increments by written order specifically stating the weather event or disaster). upon release, unless the person was arrested or objects, the person (at the expense of the county where s/he was apprehended) must be transported to either 1) the place where s/he was apprehended, 2) the person's residence in the state, or 3) another suitable location. virginia as of 2008, virginia was one of only five states requiring imminent danger to involuntarily commit someone. but after the virginia tech massacre, there was significant political consensus to strengthen the protections for society and allow more leniency in determining that an individual needed to be committed against their will. the person has a mental illness and there is a substantial likelihood that, as a result of mental illness, the person will, in the near future, (1) cause serious physical harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or threatening harm and other relevant information, if any the person has a mental illness and there is a substantial likelihood that, as a result of mental illness, the person will, in the near future, (2) suffer serious harm due to his lack of capacity to protect himself from harm or to provide for his basic human needs "imminent danger" was found to have too much variability throughout virginia due to vagueness. the new standard is more specific in that substantial likelihood is more clear. however, to not limit potential detainee's freedoms too much it is characterized by the time limit of near future. "recent acts" is legally established to require more than a mere recitation of past events.