About the Task Force

Charge of the Judicial Council Probate Conservatorship Task Force

  1. Seek input from a broad range of interested and affected stakeholders about how to improve the practices, procedures, and administration of probate conservatorship cases, including:
    1. Conservatees;
    2. Private professional conservators, guardians, and fiduciaries;
    3. Family members, including those appointed as conservators;
    4. Attorneys who represent conservators and conservatees;
    5. Advocacy groups; and
    6. Judicial officers and court staff.
    2.

  2. Perform a comprehensive review of:
    1. The law governing conservatorships established under the Probate Code, including the current statutes, case law, rules of court, ethical constraints, standards of judicial administration, and related forms and procedures, as well as the best methods now used in courts' management of conservatorship cases;
    2. The assignment of judicial officers to handle conservatorship cases, including any education, training, and other prerequisites for such assignments;
    3. The laws, practices, and procedures of other jurisdictions, including any national standards that may exist, that pertain to conservatorships, guardianships, and/or other protective arrangements involving court oversight of dependent adults;
    4. The educational and training programs on probate conservatorships that are currently being provided for judicial officers and other court personnel through the Administrative Office of the Courts' Education Division or other sources; and
    5. The staffing and other court resources currently being utilized for probate conservatorships, including investigator, examiner, and attorney positions.
    3.

  3. Make recommendations to the Judicial Council for reforms and improvements to the overall system of conservatorship administration-including but not limited to changes to legislation, rules of court, funding, education, and training-in order to enhance services provided for, and more effectively prevent and deter abuse of, conservatees.
    4.

  4. Create model guidelines for probate courts' practices and procedures in the handling of conservatorship cases.
    5.

  5. Make other recommendations to the Judicial Council that further the purposes of the task force.

To learn more about the Probate Conservatorship Task Force, please view the Judicial Council's press release announcing the task force's formation.