Opinion ID: 2582728
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Objection to a Testamentary Appointment

Text: Section 15-14-203(1) addresses objections by others to a parental appointment. By statute, an objection may be filed only by the other parent or, as relevant here, a person other than a parent or guardian having care or custody of the minor,  § 15-14-203(1) (emphasis added). Significantly, an objection under section 15-14-203(1) to a testamentary appointee terminates, and may prevent, the appointment: Until the court has confirmed an appointee under section 15-14-202... a person other than a parent or guardian having care or custody of the minor may prevent or terminate the appointment at any time by filing a written objection. (Emphasis added.) Once a person with the care or custody of the minor terminates the testamentary appointment by objection, the parental appointment is ineffective and the appointee has no authority. See § 15-14-202(9); § 15-14-203(1). Since the testamentary appointee has no authority, no guardian exists for the minor and a guardian must be appointed by a mechanism other than the testamentary appointment. See id. We conclude it is plain in subsection 15-14-203(1) that an objection triggers a judicial appointment under section 15-14-204. Section 15-14-203(1) specifies a trial court's involvement in the appointment process upon objection by providing that an objection does not prevent a court from appointing the testamentary appointee: The objection does not preclude judicial appointment of the person selected by the parent or guardian. (Emphasis added.) Likewise, section 15-14-203(1) also anticipates court involvement in the appointment process subsequent to objection by permitting the court to treat an objection as a petition for a temporary guardian under the judicial appointment statute: the court may treat the filing of an objection ... as a petition for the appointment of an emergency or temporary guardian under section 15-14-204. (Emphasis added.) In noting that a court may still appoint the testamentary guardian or treat an objection as a petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian, the legislature plainly identified the judicial appointment procedures under section 15-14-204 as the mechanism to resolve a guardianship dispute between a testamentary appointee and a person with the care or custody of the minor involved. Thus, an objection under section 15-14-203(1) has two interrelated effects on a parental appointment: (1) it terminates and may prevent the appointment; and (2) requires judicial appointment of a guardian. The parties agree that an objection to a parental appointment triggers a court's involvement in the guardianship process beyond confirmation, but disagree as to the scope of the involvement. The Villers argue a guardian must be judicially appointed pursuant to a best interest of the child standard. Nace asserts a valid testamentary nomination pursuant to section 15-14-202 removes all discretion from the trial court and requires the trial court to enforce the terms of the will unless such an appointment would cause harm or injury to the child. We agree with the Villers and conclude that an objection triggers the judicial appointment statute's best interest standard, to which we now turn.