Some Californians become incapacitated and are no longer able to make important decisions for themselves about health care and finances. Others have developmental disabilities that prevent them from ever making such decisions. If you have a loved one who is in this type of a situation, you might want to consider a conservatorship.
A conservatorship allows someone else to make financial and health care decisions for people who become incapacitated or for those who have disabilities which make them unable to make important decisions for themselves. A probate conservatorship may involve the court appointing one person to make medical decisions for the incapacitated person and another to make financial decisions. The court might also appoint one person to handle both.
A developmentally disabled conservatorship may be used for people who were born with developmental disabilities. The degree of powers over the financial and medical decisions for the disabled person will vary depending on his or her functioning level. Finally, a Lanterman-Petris-Short conservatorship may be appropriate for people who were previously able to make decisions for themselves but who develop mental illnesses. For this type of conservatorship, people must be a danger to others or to themselves. Minors who have lost their parents and who have inherited substantial sums may be appointed guardians who can manage funds for the minors in their care until they reach specified ages.
At our law firm, we help our clients with seeking conservatorships to care for their incapacitated loved ones. A conservator or guardian may work to protect the incapacitated person or minor who is under the conservator’s care. We work to help our clients understand what their options might be and how they might protect their loved ones and themselves. If you think your loved one may need a conservatorship, you might want to read our conservatorship page for more information.