Source: http://www.narpa.org/MUPC_Article_V.htm
Timestamp: 2017-03-24 02:20:14
Document Index: 91874990

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 2']

Origins – based on the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act
Implementation – Effective July 1, 2009 Key concepts More due process protection for the respondent Modern concepts of incapacity Presumption of limited authority for the substitute decision maker
Ward – minor
Guardians of adults have authority over the person; conservators over the property and estate – no longer any guardians of estates Definitions
No longer categorical bases for guardianship (MI, MR, physical incapacity) Instead, there is a modern functional definition of incapacity (§ 5-101) for purposes of guardianship
Person to be protected (§ 5-401) for purpose of conservatorship Unable to manage property and business affairs
Impairment in ability to receive & evaluate information or make or communicate decisions Even with technological assistance
Petition (§ 5-303 [guardianship] § 5-404 [conservatorship])
There will almost certainly be separate petitions required for conservatorship and guardianship The recently revised petition form will be probably be changed only slightly
Medical Certificate or Clinical Team Report (§ 5-303 [guardianship] & § 5- 407 [conservatorship])
The current long medical certificate will be slightly revised to meet MUPC – 30 day time line is unchanged, so it will probably be necessary to file more than one in the course of the case
The CTR may be revised – 180 day time is unchanged
Temporary appointments (§ 5-308 [guardianship] and § 5-412A [conservatorship]) Court may appoint temporary guardian if it finds that absent appointment there will be substantial harm to incapacitated person’s health, safety or welfare
Substituted judgment process remains basically unchanged (§ 5-306A) Guardian of the person -- reporting & authority (§ 5-309)
Court must monitor the reports and may appoint a GAL to investigate Guardians may no longer be given authority to admit of commit to a mental health or mental retardation facility. Rather c. 123 will apply
Guardian may not revoke a HCP without a court order; health care agent’s decisions supersede those of a guardian Guardian must seek special authority to admit incapacitated person to a Nursing Home and court may grant only if in “best interest”
$5000 or less – conservator not required (§ 5-102)
Compare to new Caregiver Education & Health Care Authorization under G.L. 201F (allowing 2 year designation by parent(s) of a caregiver to have concurrent parental rights and responsibilities relative to a minor’s education and health care. Parental/Guardian appointment (§ 5-202)
Must seek court confirmation within 30 days May be prevented by (§ 5-203)
Person with whom minor has resided for 60 days But not a foster parent
Guardian appointment (§ 5-204)
II. Caregiver authorization statute – Chapter 201F – and similar MUPC provisions
1. The Caregiver Authorization law, c. 201F, provides that a parent, without a court order, may share “concurrent parental rights” of a minor with an adult caregiver of a child for up to two years, but only in two specific aspects of parental authority -- education and health care. The parent may override or suspend the caregiver's authority at any time. The caregiver consent authorizations do not replace the authority of any other adult who also has authority for the child, but only "sub-divide" the signing parent's authority. The two year authorization is longer than the 60 day transfer in the MUPC. The Probate Court does not confirm or authorize the delegation, but does have jurisdiction over any disputes arising from the delegation. The key is that the parent keeps concurrent decision making authority. 2. Section 5-103 of the MUPC provides for an up to 60 day "transfer," also without a court order, of any or all a parent's or guardian's authority to a third party "temporary agent." A parent may not make such a transfer if the child has another parent whose whereabouts are known without that other parent's consenting in writing. The § 5-103 delegation need not be approved or confirmed by the Probate Court, but the court may “limit” or “alter” the delegation, presumably on a petition by some interested party. 3. MUPC § 5-202 creates a sort of a “guardianship of a minor advance directive,” replacing the emergency stand-by and proxy guardianship provision of the current c. 201 §§ 2A – 2H. It allows a parent to execute a revocable document that appoints a guardian for a minor child, the appointment to become effective on the occurrence of a specified contingency – the parent’s death, or an adjudication of incapacity or a written declaration by a physician that the parent is no longer able to care for the child. A court may confirm the appointment prospectively if it finds the parent will be unable to care for the child within two years. With or without prospective confirmation, the guardianship “springs” into effect on the occurrence of one of the contingencies. Within 30 days after the parental appointment becomes effective, the guardian must seek court “confirmation” of the appointment.