Opinion ID: 1852842
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Scope of Duties of Guardian and Conservator

Text: In this 12th, and last, assignment, Sim's attorneys conclude that the district court erred in granting the guardian and conservator unlimited power over Mrs. Sim and her property in violation of the requirement of the least restrictive alternative. The question is not whether the district court violated any nonexistent least restrictive alternative requirement but whether there was any error appearing on the record made in the county court which the district court was authorized to correct. When all is said and done, the overriding issue in this case is whether the record supports the county court's conclusion that a guardian is needed to oversee the care given Sim and to see to it that she is not denied access to visitors, and that a conservator is required to determine what has happened to her assets. Prior to the designation of a guardian, Sim's attorneys secreted her and restricted her access to visitors. Since the purpose to be served by the guardianship is to see to it that Sim continues to receive appropriate care and is not hidden from her family, the restrictions imposed upon the designated guardian are appropriate. In essence, the question in connection with the conservatorship is whether the trustee can be made to account. Harvey Neumeister, in his dual role as one of Sim's attorneys and as her trustee, argues he cannot be so required because the trust instrument provides that he need not account to anyone, presumably not even to Sim as the settlor. Such a position is untenable. Any notion of a trust without accountability is a contradiction in terms. If the trustee cannot be called upon to account, the settlor cannot force the trustee to any particular line of conduct with regard to the trust property, or sue for breach of trust. No trust instrument can relieve a trustee from a duty to account to interested persons. In re Estate of Wallich, 18 Utah 2d 240, 420 P.2d 40 (1966); Wood et al. v. Honeyman et al., 178 Or. 484, 169 P.2d 131 (1946). See, also, Fleener v. Omaha Nat. Co., 131 Neb. 253, 267 N.W. 462 (1936); Annot., 171 A.L.R. 631 (1947). Since Sim is in no position to demand or understand an accounting, it is legally right and proper that a conservator make that demand for her. For the present, then, it is appropriate that the conservator's authority be limited as the county court directed. What further authority the conservator may need, if any, will depend upon the outcome of the accounting. Thus, while our perspective with respect to this assignment is different than that of Sim's attorneys, we nonetheless agree that there was no error on the record made in the county court; accordingly, the district court erred in modifying the county court's judgment.