I hear and read a lot about conservatorships in Connecticut.
What is a conservator?
What does a conservator do?
In Connecticut, a proposed conserved person is required by statute to receive a notice of the possible consequences of a conservatorship. The notice offers a good general explaination of what a conservatorship is, your rights in a conservatorship proceeding and a basic idea of what a conservator does:
“POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE APPOINTMENT OF A CONSERVATOR FOR YOUThis court has received an application to appoint a conservator for you. A conservator is a court-appointed legal guardian who may be assigned important decision-making authority over your affairs.
If the application is granted and a conservator is appointed for you, you will lose some of your rights.A permanent conservator may only be appointed for you after a court hearing.
You have the right to attend the hearing on the application for appointment of a permanent conservator. If you are not able to access the court where the hearing will be held, you may request that the hearing be moved to a convenient location, even to your place of residence.
You should have an attorney represent you at the hearing on the application. If you are unable to obtain an attorney to represent you at the hearing, the court will appoint an attorney for you. If you are unable to pay for representation by an attorney, the court will pay attorney fees as permitted by the court’s rules. Even if you qualify for payment of an attorney on your behalf, you may choose an attorney if the attorney will accept the attorney fees permitted by the court’s rules. If, after a hearing on the application, the court decides that you lack the ability to care for yourself, pay your bills or otherwise manage your affairs, the court may review any alternative plans you have to get assistance to handle your own affairs that do not require appointment of a conservator. If the court decides that there are no adequate alternatives to the appointment of a conservator, the court may appoint a conservator and assign the conservator responsibility for some or all of the duties listed below. While the purpose of a conservator is to help you, you should be aware that the appointment of a conservator limits your rights. Among the areas that may be affected are:
– Accessing and budgeting your money
– Deciding where you live
– Making medical decisions for you
– Paying your bills
– Managing your real and personal property.
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You may participate in the selection of your conservator. If you have already designated a conservator or if you inform the court of your choice for a conservator, the court must honor your request unless the court decides that the person designated by you is not appropriate.The conservator appointed for you may be a lawyer, a public official or someone whom you did not know before the appointment. The conservator will be required to make regular reports to the court about you. The conservator may charge you a fee, under the supervision of the court, for being your conservator.” Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 45a-649
