THI RD DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M CFA DDEN and M CM I LLI A N, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Nov em ber 9, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 25 9 . IN RE: ESTATE OF J IM M Y CURTIS.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

J i m m y Cu rt i s

, an ad u l t ward

, ap p eal s fro m t h e su p eri o r co urt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g

h i s m o t i o n t o m o d i fy h i s co ns erv at o rs h i p

. In t h at m o t i o n

, Cu rt is s o u g h t to rep l ace h i s

co n serv at o r, Ro b ert Lo n g

, wi t h Vi rg i n i a Hi l t o n o r Cu d d el l Ol l i s , t wo o f h i s s i s t ers

.

W e affi rm

fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h b el ow.

Lo n g i s C u r t i s ’ s b ro t h er-i n -l aw, m arri ed t o a t hi rd s i st er, J ewel Lo n g

. Th e

p ro b at e co urt n am ed Lo n g as Cu rt i s ’ s co n serv at o r i n an o rd er d at ed Au g u s t 2 8

, 2 0 1 3.

Les s t h an t wo y ears l at er, o n Ap ri l 3 0

, 2 0 1 5

, Cu rt i s fi l ed a m o ti o n i n p ro b at e co u rt to

m o di fy h i s co n s erv at ors h i p

, req u es t in g t h at ei t h er H i l to n o r Ol l i s rep l ace Lo n g as h i s

co n serv at o r. Cu rt i s ’ s m o t i o n as s ert ed t h at L o n g h ad b reach ed h i s d ut i es u nd er OCGA

§ 2 9 -5 -2 2

, by co ns i st en t l y fai l i n g t o co n s id er Cu rt i s’ s ex pres s ed d es i res an d p ers o n alv al u es , fai l i n g t o co m m u n i cat e wi t h o r b e reas o n ab l y acces s i b l e t o h i m

, an d fai l i n g

t o u p h ol d h i s d i g n i t y an d res p ect . See OCGA § 2 9 -5 -2 2 (b ) (1 ), (2 ). Un der Geo rg i a

l aw, w h ere, as h ere, “ th e pet i t i o n fo r m o d ifi cat i o n d o es n o t al l eg e a s i g ni fi can t ch an g e

i n th e cap aci ty o f t h e ward ,” a co u rt h as d i s cret i o n t o m o d ify a co n s erv at o rs h i p “ u p o n

a s h o wi n g th at t he m od i fi cat i o n i s in t he ward ’ s b es t i nt eres t .” OCGA § 2 9 -5 -7 1 (c).

Aft er h o l d i ng a h eari ng o n t he m o t i o n

, t he p ro b at e co u rt d en i ed t he m o t io n i n an o rd er

d at ed J u n e 4

, 2 0 15

, b as ed on a fi n d i n g t h at “ n o ev i d en ce was o ffered t h at p ro v es an y

m i s d o i n g o r m i su s i n g o f an y o f t h e ward ’ s fu n d s b y

t h e co n s erv at or.”

Cu rt is ap p eal ed t h e pro b at e c o u r t ’s o rd er to th e s u p eri o r co u rt i n acco rd an ce

wi t h OCGA § 29 -5 -1 10 (a), 1 wh i ch pro v i d es fo r a d e no v o rev iew o f t he m at t er. See

1 OCGA § 2 9 -5 -1 1 0 (a) p ro v i d es , i n p ert i n en t p art , t h at

t h e ward

, i n d i vi du al l y o r b y t h e ward ’ s l eg al co u n sel

, rep res en t at i v e, o r

g u ard i an ad l i t em

, o r t h e p et i ti o n er m ay ap p eal an y fi n al o rd er o f th e

co u rt t o t h e s u p eri o r co u rt i n t h e co u n t y i n w h i ch t h e p ro ceed i n g s were

h el d

. T h e ap p eal sh al l b e i n t h e s am e m an n er as ot h er ap p eal s fro m th e

p ro b at e co u rt t o th e s u p eri o r co u rt bu t s h al l b e heard as ex p ed i t io u s l y as

p o s s i b l e. Th e ap p eal s h al l b e d e n o vo un l es s by ag reem en t t h e p art i es

s p eci fi cal ly l i m i t t h e i s s ues

. . . . Th e b u rd en o f p ro of s hal l b e u p o n th e

p et i t i o n er an d t h e s t a n d a rd u s ed b y th e co u rt i n reach i ng i ts d eci s i o n

s h al l b e cl ear an d co nv i n ci n g ev i d en ce.

2al s o O CGA § 5 -3 -2 (a) (“ An ap p eal s h al l li e t o t h e s u p eri o r co u rt fro m an y d eci s i o n

m ad e b y t h e p ro b at e co u rt

, ex cep t an o rd er ap p oi n t i n g a t em p o rary ad m i n i s t rat o r.”).

Un d er OCGA § 5 -3 -2 9

,

[a] n ap peal to th e s u p eri o r co u rt in an y cas e wh ere n o t o t h erwi s e

p ro v i d ed by l aw i s a d e n o v o i nv es t ig at i o n

. It b ri n g s u p t h e wh o l e reco rd

fro m t h e co urt b el o w; an d al l co m p et en t ev i d en ce s h al l b e ad m i ss i b le o n

t h e t ri al t h ereo f, wh et h er ad du ced o n a fo rm er t ri al o r n o t . Ei t h er p art y

i s en t i t l ed t o b e h eard o n t h e wh ol e m eri ts o f t h e cas e.

See al s o OCGA § 29 -5 -7 0 (a). 2 “ Th e fi l i n g o f t he d e n ov o ap p eal i n s u peri or co u rt h as

t h e s am e effect as if i t h ad b een co m m en ced o ri g i n al l y i n th e s u peri o r co u rt ,” an d t h e

s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s t as k “ i s t o t r y t h e i s s u e an ew an d p as s o ri g i n al ju d g m en t s o n t h e

q u es ti o n s i n v o lv ed as i f th ere h ad b een n o p rev i o u s t ri al .” (Ci tat i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Lo n g v. Gr een wo o d Ho mes

, In c.

, 2 8 5 G a. 56 0

, 5 6 2 (6 79 SE2 d 7 1 2 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

See al s o In r e Es t at e o

f W a d e , 3 3 1 Ga. Ap p

. 5 3 5 , 5 3 6 (7 7 1 SE2 d 2 1 4 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

Th u s

, Cu rt i s bo re t h e b u rd en o n ap p eal t o t h e s u p eri o r co u rt t o s h o w b y cl ear

an d co nv i n ci ng ev i d en ce t h at t h e req u es t ed m o di fi cat i o n was in h i s b es t i n t e r e s t

.

2 OCGA § 2 9 -5 -7 0 (a) p ro v i des

, i n pert i n en t p art , t h at “ [u ] p o n t h e p et i t i o n o f

an y i n t eres t ed pers o n

, in cl u d in g t h e ward

, o r u p o n t h e co u rt ’ s o wn m o t i o n

, th e co u rt

m ay co n d u ct a ju d i ci al i n q u i ry i nt o wh et h er t he ward i s b e i n g den i ed a ri g h t o r

p ri v i leg e p ro v id ed fo r b y t hi s ch ap t er an d m ay

i s s u e ap p ro p ri at e o rd ers .”

3OCGA § § 2 9 -5 -7 1 (c) (b es t i n t e r e s t s t a n d ard ); 2 9 -5 -1 1 0 (a) (b u rd en o f cl ear an d

co n vi n ci n g ev i d en ce). 3 Th e s u p eri o r co urt fo u n d t hat Cu rt i s d id n o t m eet h is b u rd en

.

“ A b sen t an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

, we wi l l n o t rev ers e [a lo wer] co urt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n

as t o wh o wi l l serv e an in d i v i du al ’ s b es t i nt eres t s as co n s erv at o r.” Cr u ver v. M i t ch el l

,

2 8 9 Ga. Ap p . 1 4 5 , 1 4 6 (1 ) (a) (6 5 6 SE2 d 2 69 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

1

. In hi s fi rs t e n u m e rat i o n o f erro r, Cu rt is as s ert s th at th e s u p eri o r co u rt

i n co rrect l y fo u n d t h a t Cu rt i s was n o t den i ed a ri g h t o r p ri v i l eg e b y Lo n g b ecau s e

Lo n g d i d n o t m ak e h i m s el f reas o n ab l y acces s i b le, i m p ro perl y d i sp o s ed o f Cu rt is ’ s

p ro p ert y

, an d fai l ed t o t reat h i m wi t h d i gn i ty an d res p ect

. See OCGA §§ 2 9 -5 -2 0 (a)

(2 ), (6 ); 2 9 -5 -2 2 (a), (b ) (1 ) & (2 ); 2 9 -3 -3 5

.

Th e ev i d en ce fro m t h e h eari n g o n Cu rt is ’ s m o t i o n d em o n s t rat ed t h at Lo n g was

s u b s t an t i al l y p erfo rm i ng h i s du t i es as Cu rt i s ’ s co n s erv at o r, an d i t i s u n d i s p ut ed t h at

3 W e n o t e t h at at th e s u p e r i o r co urt h eari ng o n Cu rt is ’ s m o t i o n

, bo t h p art i es

i n co rrect l y fram ed th ei r arg u m en t s u n d er a prep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce s t an d ard

. Th es e arg u m en t s ap paren t l y were b as ed o n OCGA § 2 9 -5 -7 1 (d ), w h i ch p ro vi d es t h at

“ [i ] n an y p ro ceed i n g u n d er t hi s Co d e sect i o n t h at wo u l d res t ri ct t h e p o wers o f t h e

co n serv at o r o r res t o re p o wers t o t h e ward

, th e b u rd en i s o n t he pet i t i o n er t o s h o w by

a p rep o n deran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce t h at t h e [req u es t e d ] m o d i fi cat i o n i s in th e ward ’ s

b es t i n t eres t .” Pret erm i t ti n g wh et h er Cu rt i s’ s p ro b at e co u rt m ot i on t o ch a n g e

co n serv at o rs co n s t i t u t ed s u ch a p ro ceed i n g

, Cu rt is ’ s b u rd en o n ap p eal t o t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt was g ov ern ed by a d i fferen t s t at u t e

, w h i ch req u ired a s h o wi n g o f cl ear an d

co n vi n ci n g ev id en ce. OCGA § 2 9 -5 -1 1 0 (a).

4Cu rt i s ’ s h eal t h an d fi n an ci al s i t u at i on h ad i m p ro v ed s i n c e h i s ap p o i n t m en t

. Cu rt i s

ad m i t t ed t h at Lo n g s p o k e wi t h hi m o n t h e p h on e ap pro x i m at el y on ce a m o n t h an d h ad

co m e t o s ee h im fo u r t i m e s i n a s i x -m o n t h peri o d

. Th e ev i d en ce al s o s u p p o rt ed a

fi nd i ng t h at t h ey co m

m u n i cat ed ab o u t Cu rt i s ’ s fi n an ci al affai rs

. T o t h e ex t en t t h at t h e

ev i d en ce was d i s p u t ed

, fo r ex am p l e

, a s t o wh et h er L o n g t reat ed Cu rt is wi t h o u t t h e

req u i s i t e res p ect o r wh et h er h e p ro p erl y co m m u n i cat ed w i t h h i m

, we m us t d efer to

t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ju d g e, wh o o b s erv ed t h e t es t i m o n y i n pers o n

, t o wei g h an d res o l v e

an y co n fl i ct s i n t he ev i den ce. See Cr uver

, 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 4 7 (1 ) (b ) (ap p el l at e co u rt

wi l l u p h o l d l o wer co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s if t h ey are s up p o rt ed b y an y ev i d en ce an d

d efer t o t h e c o u rt ’ s cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at i o n s ). Ad di t i o n al ly

, Cu rt i s p res en t ed n o

ev i d en ce t o d i s p u t e Lo n g ’ s t es t i m o n y t h at he so l d Cu rt i s ’ s p ro p ert y at t h e p ro b at e

co u rt ’ s s p eci fi c di rect i o n an d t h a t t h e m o n ey was p l aced i n Cu rt i s’ s b an k acco u n t

.

Cu rt i s ad m i t t ed t h at h e h ad n o ev i den ce to s h ow t h at Lo n g h ad ev er st o l en an y t h i n g

fro m h i m

.

Al t h ou g h Hi lt o n tes t ifi ed s h e was wi l l i n g to act a s h i s c o n s erv at o r, s h e was

am bi v al en t ab o u t wh et h er h e act u al l y n eed ed a co n s erv at or, a p o i n t Cu rt i s hi m s el f d id

n o t co n t es t. An d th o u g h b o t h Ol l i s an d s h e s t at ed t h at t h ey freq u en t l y s p o k e wi t h

Cu rt i s on t he p h o n e, n ei t h er h ad m ad e an ef f o r t t o v i s i t Cu rt i s i n p ers o n at t h e VA

5faci li t y t o i n v e s t i g a t e h i s cu rren t l i v i n g co n d it i on s

, an d th ey h ad m ad e n o ap p aren t

effo rt t o d et erm i n e h i s fi n an ci al s i t u at io n

. In ad di t i o n

, th ere was ev id en ce t h at Cu rt i s

i n ap p ro p ri at el y s p en t h i s al l o w an ce 4 o n o t h er p eo p l e, in cl u d i ng h i s s i s t ers

, b y s en d i n g

t h em h i s d eb i t card i n t h e m ai l fo r t h ei r u s e.

Bas ed o n th i s an d t h e o t h er ev i d en ce p res en t ed

, we can n ot say t h at t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt ab u s ed i t s d i s c ret i o n i n fi n di n g t h at Cu rt i s fai l ed t o s ho w b y cl ear an d

co n vi n ci n g ev id en ce t h at h e was d en i ed a ri gh t o r p ri v i l eg e b y Lo n g as p ro v i d ed i n

OCGA § 2 9 -5 -2 2

.

2

. In a rel at ed en u m erat i o n o f erro r, Cu rt i s co n t en d s t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt

erred i n n o t al l o wi ng h im t o o b t ai n a co ns erv at o r t hat i s i n h i s bes t i n teres t

. W e

d i s ag ree fo r t h e reas o n s s t at ed i n Di v i s i o n 1. In ad di t i o n

, we n o t e t h at al t ho u gh u n d er

OCGA § 2 9-5 -3 (b ) (1 ) an d (7 ), an in d i v i d u al no m i n at ed b y an ad u l t ward p ri o r t o t h e

a p p o i n t m en t o f a co n s erv at o r i s g i v en t h e h i g h es t ran k i n g i n t h e st at ut o ry o rd er o f

p referen ce fo r co n serv at or s, wh i l e a rel at i ve l i k e Lo n g i s s ev en t h o n t h e l i s t

, t h e

p ro b at e co u rt o ri g i n al l y ap p o in t ed Lo n g as co n s erv at o r. N o t h i n g i n t h e reco rd

d em o n s t rat es t hat Cu rt i s ei t h er n o m i n at ed an y o n e el s e p ri or t o t h a t a p p o i n t m en t o r

4 Th e ev i d en ce s h o w ed t h at Lo n g p u t $ 4 5 0 p er m o n t h i n Cu rt i s ’ s b an k acco u nt

fo r h i s p ers o n al s p en di ng

, $ 2 50 m o re th an reco m m en d ed b y th e VA faci l i t y at wh i ch

Cu rt i s l i v ed an d wh i ch p ro v i ded 1 00 % o f h i s ro o m an d b o ard

.

6ap p eal ed t h e p r o bat e co urt ’ s o rd er ap p o i n ti n g Lo n g

. An d al t h o u g h t h e s t at u t e

p ro v id es t h at a co u rt m

u st g i v e co n s i d erat i o n t o t h e o rd er o f preferen ce, i t m ay al s o

“ d i sreg ard a p ers o n wh o h as p referen ce an d ap p o in t a pers o n wh o h as a l o wer

p referen ce o r n o preferen ce.” OCGA § 29 -5 -3 (a). “ [U] l t i m at el y [, t he co u rt i s ]

req u i red t o ap p o i n t as co n s erv at o r t h at p ers on wh o s h al l b es t s erv e t h e i n t eres t s o f t h e

i n d i v i d u al .” (Ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Cr u ver

, 28 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 14 6 (1 ) (a).

Acco rd in g ly

, we l i k ewi se fi n d n o ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n i n t h e su p e r i o r c o urt ’ s

d e t e r m i n at i o n th at i t was i n Cu rt i s ’ s b es t i n t eres t t o d en y t h e m ot io n t o m o d i fy t h e

co n serv at o rs h i p

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

McFa d d en , J., co n cu r

.

7