Opinion ID: 1826501
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: conservatorship

Text: The law allows a trial court to impose conservatorship upon an adult, if [t]he person is unable to manage his property and affairs effectively, if [t]he person has property which will be wasted or dissipated unless proper management is provided, or [if] funds are needed for the support, care, and welfare of the person... and that protection is necessary or desirable to obtain or provide funds. NDCC 30.1-29-01(2)(a), (b). None of those conditions was clearly proven here. Diane's Independent Living Skills Evaluation concluded that [o]ne of Diane's strengths is in the skill of understanding the concept of money, she is able to use coin combinations in purchasing items and gives correct coin amounts, and identifies the paper monies. She is able to understand the concept of more than/less than, she brings enough money for purchases, writes checks independently and carries own money to perform cash transactions. Diane, however, needs assistance in following a weekly and monthly budget, and dealing effectively with impulse buying. Diane needs assistance in paying her bills when due as she does not initiate this on her own. While this evidence might imply that Diane is unable to manage [her] property and affairs effectively ..., NDCC 30.1-29-01(2)(a), her guardian ad litem reported that Diane's financial concerns are being adequately administered. Diane's father testified that her trainer at the Workshop co-sign[s] all of her checks, takes care of her money, and gives Diane the spending money that she's supposed to have. No evidence of waste or mismanagement of funds by Diane or the Workshop was offered. This record does not demonstrate that financial protection is necessary or desirable. The only findings made by the trial court on Diane's ability to manage her proprietary affairs were that Diane does not handle her own funds except for occasional small purchases and these services have been provided by others for many years, and that, therefore, a conservator of the property of Diane ... is necessary. A trial court's findings on incapacity in a conservatorship proceeding are questions of fact that this court will not disturb unless clearly erroneous. NDRCivP 52(a); Matter of Bo, 365 N.W.2d 847, 850 (N.D. 1985). See also Gessler v. Miller, 419 N.W.2d 541, 543 (N.D.Ct.App.1988). Mere observations and conclusory statements by the trial court, without supporting evidence, are insufficient to establish the need for a conservatorship. In view of the evidence that Diane's financial affairs are currently in order and partially controlled through her living arrangement with the Workshop, the evidence is not clear and convincing that she needs a general conservator. If a limited conservatorship is necessary to parallel and implement the limited guardianship for medical purposes, the conservatorship law directs that the court shall exercise the authority conferred in this chapter consistent with the maximum self-reliance and independence of the protected person and make protective orders only to the extent necessitated by the protected person's actual mental and adaptive limitations and other conditions warranting the procedure. NDCC 30.1-29-08(1). The trial court was clearly erroneous in imposing a full and general conservatorship.