Section 1851.1 Of Chapter 2. Periodic Review Of Conservatorship From California Probate Code >> Division 4. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 2.
1851.1
. (a) When a court issues an order provisionally granting a
petition under Section 2002, the investigator appointed under Section
2002 shall promptly commence an investigation under this section.
(b) In conducting an investigation and preparing a report under
this section, the court investigator shall do all of the following:
(1) Comply with the requirements of Section 1851.
(2) Conduct an interview of the conservator.
(3) Conduct an interview of the conservatee's spouse or registered
domestic partner, if any.
(4) Inform the conservatee of the nature, purpose, and effect of
the conservatorship.
(5) Inform the conservatee and all other persons entitled to
notice under subdivision (b) of Section 2002 of the right to seek
termination of the conservatorship.
(6) Determine whether the conservatee objects to the conservator
or prefers another person to act as conservator.
(7) Inform the conservatee of the right to attend the hearing
under subdivision (c).
(8) Determine whether it appears that the conservatee is unable to
attend the hearing and, if able to attend, whether the conservatee
is willing to attend the hearing.
(9) Inform the conservatee of the right to be represented by legal
counsel if the conservatee so chooses, and to have legal counsel
appointed by the court if the conservatee is unable to retain legal
counsel.
(10) Determine whether the conservatee wishes to be represented by
legal counsel and, if so, whether the conservatee has retained legal
counsel and, if not, the name of an attorney the conservatee wishes
to retain.
(11) If the conservatee has not retained legal counsel, determine
whether the conservatee desires the court to appoint legal counsel.
(12) Determine whether the appointment of legal counsel would be
helpful to the resolution of the matter or is necessary to protect
the interests of the conservatee in any case where the conservatee
does not plan to retain legal counsel and has not requested the
appointment of legal counsel by the court.
(13) Consider each of the categories specified in paragraphs (1)
to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 1821.
(14) Consider, to the extent practicable, whether the investigator
believes the conservatee suffers from any of the mental function
deficits listed in subdivision (a) of Section 811 that significantly
impairs the conservatee's ability to understand and appreciate the
consequences of the conservatee's actions in connection with any of
the functions described in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1801 and
identify the observations that support that belief.
(c) The court shall review the conservatorship as provided in
Section 2002. The conservatee shall attend the hearing unless the
conservatee's attendance is excused under Section 1825. The court may
take appropriate action in response to the court investigator's
report under this section.
(d) The court investigator's report under this section shall be
confidential as provided in Section 1851.
(e) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of
Section 1850, the court shall review the conservatorship again one
year after the review conducted pursuant to subdivision (c), and
annually thereafter, in the manner specified in Section 1850.
(f) The first time that the need for a conservatorship is
challenged by any interested person or raised on the court's own
motion after a transfer under Section 2002, whether in a review
pursuant to this section or in a petition to terminate the
conservatorship under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1860), the
court shall presume that there is no need for a conservatorship. This
presumption is rebuttable, but can only be overcome by clear and
convincing evidence. The court shall make an express finding on
whether continuation of the conservatorship is the least restrictive
alternative needed for the protection of the conservatee.
(g) If a duty described in this section is the same as a duty
imposed pursuant to the amendments to Sections 1826, 1850, 1851,
2250, 2253, and 2620 and the addition of Sections 2250.4 and 2250.6
enacted by Chapter 493 of the Statutes of 2006, and the addition of
Section 1051 enacted by Chapter 492 of the Statutes of 2006, a
superior court shall not be required to perform that duty until the
Legislature makes an appropriation identified for this purpose.