Article 6. Federally Recognized Indian Tribe of California Probate Code >> Division 4. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 8. >> Article 6.
For the purposes of this chapter:
(a) "California tribe" means an Indian tribe with jurisdiction
that has tribal land located in California.
(b) "Indian tribe with jurisdiction" means a federally recognized
Indian tribe that has a court system that exercises jurisdiction over
proceedings that are substantially equivalent to conservatorship
proceedings.
(c) "Tribal land" means land that is, with respect to a specific
Indian tribe and the members of that tribe, "Indian country" as
defined in Section 1151 of Title 18 of the United States Code.
Article 2 (commencing with Section 1991) does not apply to a
proposed conservatee who is a member of an Indian tribe with
jurisdiction.
(a) If a petition for the appointment of a conservator has
been filed in a court of this state and a conservator has not yet
been appointed, any person entitled to notice of a hearing on the
petition may move to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the
proposed conservatee is a member of an Indian tribe with
jurisdiction. The petition shall state the name of the Indian tribe.
(b) If, after communicating with the named tribe, the court of
this state finds that the proposed conservatee is a member of an
Indian tribe with jurisdiction, it may grant the motion to dismiss if
it finds that there is good cause to do so. If the motion is
granted, the court may impose any condition the court considers just
and proper, including the condition that a petition for the
appointment of a conservator be filed promptly in the tribal court.
(c) In determining whether there is good cause to grant the
motion, the court may consider all relevant factors, including, but
not limited to, the following:
(1) Any expressed preference of the proposed conservatee.
(2) Whether abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the proposed
conservatee has occurred or is likely to occur and which state could
best protect the proposed conservatee from the abuse, neglect, or
exploitation.
(3) The length of time the proposed conservatee was physically
present in or was a legal resident of this or another state.
(4) The location of the proposed conservatee's family, friends,
and other persons required to be notified of the conservatorship
proceeding.
(5) The distance of the proposed conservatee from the court in
each state.
(6) The financial circumstances of the estate of the proposed
conservatee.
(7) The nature and location of the evidence.
(8) The ability of the court in each state to decide the issue
expeditiously and the procedures necessary to present evidence.
(9) The familiarity of the court of each state with the facts and
issues in the proceeding.
(10) If an appointment were made, the court's ability to monitor
the conduct of the conservator.
(11) The timing of the motion, taking into account the parties'
and court's expenditure of time and resources.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the court shall not grant a
motion to dismiss pursuant to this section if the tribal court
expressly declines to exercise its jurisdiction with regard to the
proposed conservatee.