Mich. Comp. Laws § 700.5314 — MI Code / Chapter 700 / Act Act-386-of-1998 / Section 700.5314
Powers and duties of guardian.
Status: in_force

Sec. 5314.

If meaningful communication is possible, a legally incapacitated individual's guardian shall consult with the legally incapacitated individual before making a major decision affecting the legally incapacitated individual. To the extent a guardian of a legally incapacitated individual is granted powers by the court under section 5306, the guardian is responsible for the ward's care, custody, and control, but is not liable to third persons because of that responsibility for the ward's acts. In particular and without qualifying the previous sentences, a guardian has all of the following powers and duties, to the extent granted by court order:

(a) The custody of the person of the ward and the power to establish the ward's place of residence in or outside this state. The guardian shall visit the ward within 3 months after the guardian's appointment and not less than once within 3 months after each previous visit. The guardian shall notify the court within 14 days of a change in the ward's place of residence or a change in the guardian's place of residence.

(b) If entitled to custody of the ward, the duty to make provision for the ward's care, comfort, and maintenance and, when appropriate, arrange for the ward's training and education. The guardian shall secure services to restore the ward to the best possible state of mental and physical well-being so that the ward can return to self-management at the earliest possible time. Without regard to custodial rights of the ward's person, the guardian shall take reasonable care of the ward's clothing, furniture, vehicles, and other personal effects and commence a protective proceeding if the ward's other property needs protection. If a guardian commences a protective proceeding because the guardian believes that it is in the ward's best interest to sell or otherwise dispose of the ward's real property or interest in real property, the court may appoint the guardian as special conservator and authorize the special conservator to proceed under section 5423(3). A guardian shall not otherwise sell the ward's real property or interest in real property.

(c) The power to give the consent or approval that is necessary to enable the ward to receive medical, mental health, or other professional care, counsel, treatment, or service. However, a guardian does not have and shall not exercise the power to give the consent to or approval for inpatient hospitalization unless the court expressly grants the power in its order. If the ward objects or actively refuses mental health treatment, the guardian or any other interested person must follow the procedures provided in chapter 4 of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1400 to 330.1490, to petition the court for an order to provide involuntary mental health treatment. The power of a guardian to execute a do-not-resuscitate order under subdivision (d), execute a nonopioid directive form under subdivision (f), or execute a physician orders for scope of treatment form under subdivision (g) does not affect or limit the power of a guardian to consent to a physician's order to withhold resuscitative measures in a hospital. As used in this subdivision, "involuntary mental health treatment" means that term as defined in section 400 of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1400.

(d) The power to execute, reaffirm, and revoke a do-not-resuscitate order on behalf of a ward. However, a guardian shall not execute a do-not-resuscitate order unless the guardian does all of the following:

( i ) Not more than 14 days before executing the do-not-resuscitate order, visits the ward and, if meaningful communication is possible, consults with the ward about executing the do-not-resuscitate order.

( ii ) Consults directly with the ward's attending physician as to the specific medical indications that warrant the do-not-resuscitate order.

(e) If a guardian executes a do-not-resuscitate order under subdivision (d), not less than annually after the do-not-resuscitate order is first executed, the duty to do all of the following:

( i ) Visit the ward and, if meaningful communication is possible, consult with the ward about reaffirming the do-not-resuscitate order.

( ii ) Consult directly with the ward's attending physician as to specific medical indications that may warrant reaffirming the do-not-resuscitate order.

(f) The power to execute, reaffirm, and revoke a nonopioid directive form on behalf of a ward.

(g) The power to execute, reaffirm, and revoke a physician orders for scope of treatment form on behalf of a ward. However, a guardian shall not execute a physician orders for scope of treatment form unless the guardian does all of the following:

( i ) Not more than 14 days before executing the physician orders for scope of treatment form, visits the ward and, if meaningful communication is possible, consults with the ward about executing the physician orders for scope of treatment form.

( ii ) Consults directly with the ward's attending physician as to the specific medical indications that warrant the physician orders for scope of treatment form.

(h) If a guardian executes a physician orders for scope of treatment form under subdivision (g), not less than annually after the physician orders for scope of treatment form is first executed, the duty to do all of the following:

( i ) Visit the ward and, if meaningful communication is possible, consult with the ward about reaffirming the physician orders for scope of treatment form.

( ii ) Consult directly with the ward's attending physician as to specific medical indications that may warrant reaffirming the physician orders for scope of treatment form.

(i) If a conservator for the ward's estate is not appointed, the power to do any of the following:

( i ) Institute a proceeding to compel a person under a duty to support the ward or to pay money for the ward's welfare to perform that duty.

( ii ) Receive money and tangible property deliverable to the ward and apply the money and property for the ward's support, care, and education. The guardian shall not use money from the ward's estate for room and board that the guardian or the guardian's spouse, parent, or child have furnished the ward unless a charge for the service is approved by court order made on notice to at least 1 of the ward's next of kin, if notice is possible. The guardian shall exercise care to conserve any excess for the ward's needs.

(j) The duty to report the condition of the ward and the ward's estate that is subject to the guardian's possession or control, as required by the court, but not less often than annually. The guardian shall also serve the report required under this subdivision on the ward and interested persons as specified in the Michigan court rules. A report under this subdivision must contain all of the following:

( i ) The ward's current mental, physical, and social condition.

( ii ) Improvement or deterioration in the ward's mental, physical, and social condition that occurred during the past year.

( iii ) The ward's present living arrangement and changes in the ward's living arrangement that occurred during the past year.

( iv ) Whether the guardian recommends a more suitable living arrangement for the ward.

( v ) Medical treatment, including mental health treatment, received by the ward.

( vi ) Whether the guardian has executed, reaffirmed, or revoked a do-not-resuscitate order on behalf of the ward during the past year.

( vii ) Whether the guardian has executed, reaffirmed, or revoked a nonopioid directive form on behalf of the ward during the past year.

( viii ) Whether the guardian has executed, reaffirmed, or revoked a physician orders for scope of treatment form on behalf of the ward during the past year.

( ix ) Services received by the ward.

( x ) A list of the guardian's visits with, and activities on behalf of, the ward.

( xi ) A recommendation as to the need for continued guardianship.

( xii ) If a standby guardian has been designated, a statement signed by the standby guardian that the standby guardian continues to be willing to serve in the event of the unavailability, death, incapacity, or resignation of the guardian.

(k) If a conservator is appointed, the duty to pay to the conservator, for management as provided in this act, the amount of the ward's estate received by the guardian in excess of the amount the guardian expends for the ward's current support, care, and education. The guardian shall account to the conservator for the amount expended.

History: 1998, Act 386, Eff. Apr. 1, 2000; Am. 2000, Act 54, Eff. Apr. 1, 2000; Am. 2000, Act 313, Eff. Jan. 1, 2001; Am. 2000, Act 467, Eff. June 1, 2001; Am. 2000, Act 469, Eff. June 1, 2001; Am. 2012, Act 173, Eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Am. 2013, Act 157, Eff. Feb. 3, 2014; Am. 2017, Act 155, Eff. Feb. 6, 2018; Am. 2018, Act 555, Eff. Mar. 28, 2019; Am. 2018, Act 594, Eff. Mar. 28, 2019; Am. 2024, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 21, 2024