Conservatorships

Conservatorships are a court proceeding that is done when someone has lost the capacity to manage their own personal or financial affairs (or never had this capacity). They need someone to protect them since they can no longer protect themself. Thus, the Court appoints someone to manage these decisions for them.

For a loved one with dementia or alzheimer's, a conservatorship may not be necessary if they have already put documents like Advance Healthcare Directives and Powers of Attorney in place. If so, you can simply activate those documents to start managing their affairs.

It is important to explore all alternatives before filing for a conservatorship, as it can be a time-consuming and expensive process.

If you have a loved one who is losing capacity and are concerned about how to help them, please contact my office to schedule a consultation to discuss whether or not a conservatorship is needed or whether an alternative process can be used to protect them.