Palos Verdes Conservatorship Lawyer

When Someone You Love in Palos Verdes Can No Longer Manage Alone

When someone you love can no longer keep their health, their safety, or their money secure, your family needs a way to step in that actually holds up when a bank, a doctor, or another relative pushes back.

That is what a Palos Verdes conservatorship lawyer at Wickers, Wickers & Admans LLP is for. Our partners, Christina M. Wickers Herman and Alexandra L. Admans, bring over 25 years combined of Los Angeles probate court experience to families across the South Bay, from the first petition through any contested hearing.

Once a conservatorship is in place, the conservator has court-authorized ability to act, whether that means managing finances, making medical decisions, or both, depending on what the court orders.

Contact us and let’s talk through what your Rancho Palos Verdes or Palos Verdes Estates family is dealing with, and we can help you understand what protecting your loved one may require.

What a Palos Verdes Conservatorship Lawyer at Our Firm Actually Handles

Conservatorship cases rarely look identical, and the right filing depends on what your family member actually needs help with. We handle:

• Conservatorship of the Person, for medical decisions, living arrangements, and daily safety
• Conservatorship of the Estate, for bank accounts, property, and bills
• Combined conservatorships, when one person needs help with both
• Limited conservatorships for adult children with developmental disabilities
• Contested conservatorship petitions, when family members disagree about who should serve or whether one is needed at all
• Ongoing conservator duties, including the accountings and reports the court requires afterward

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When Palos Verdes Families Need a Court’s Approval to Step In

A power of attorney only helps if it was signed while your family member still had capacity, is durable, and covers what your family needs. If it doesn’t, or a bank or hospital questions it, a court order may be the only dependable way to act, and neither will simply take a relative’s word for it.

Under California probate law, a court can appoint a conservator of the person only when someone cannot properly provide for their own physical health, food, clothing, or shelter, and a conservator of the estate only when someone is substantially unable to manage their own money or resist fraud or undue influence. Either must be shown by clear and convincing evidence (Cal. Prob. Code § 1801).

Until that happens, a well-meaning relative who steps in to move money or make medical decisions can be accused of overstepping, even when the motives are good.

When adult children live in different households and disagree about who should serve, a straightforward case can become a contested one.

What Happens After You File for a Rancho Palos Verdes or Palos Verdes Estates Conservatorship

Once a petition is filed, a court investigator is assigned to interview your family member in person, usually before the hearing on the petition and often at their own home. The investigator reports to the judge on capacity, living conditions, and available alternatives, and the judge must decide whether a conservatorship is the least restrictive option.

Relatives are notified and given a chance to object. If no one contests the petition and the investigator’s report supports it, the first hearing can be brief.

If a relative disagrees, the case moves toward mediation or trial, and having counsel who has reviewed court investigator reports while representing proposed conservatees gives us a clearer sense of what that report is likely to focus on before the hearing takes place.

Conservatorship Questions Palos Verdes Families Ask Us Most

What happens at the first conservatorship hearing?

If the petition is not contested, there is a doctor’s capacity declaration indicating a conservatorship is necessary and the court investigator and/or regional center supports it, the first hearing can be brief, and the judge may appoint the conservator at that hearing. Relatives to the second degree must receive notice of the hearing, at least 15 days for personal service or more if served by mail, so the hearing itself is set several weeks out. If it is contested, the court will usually set a further hearing date so evidence and objections can be heard properly.

Where are Palos Verdes conservatorship cases actually filed and heard?

Conservatorship petitions for South Bay families are filed and heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles, rather than at a courthouse close to home, so Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Rolling Hills families all appear before the same Probate Division downtown.

Will a court investigator actually visit my family member at home?

Generally, yes. A Los Angeles County court investigator must interview the proposed conservatee in person, usually where they live, and report directly to the judge before the hearing on the petition.

Do I need a lawyer to file a conservatorship in California?

You are not required to hire an attorney, but conservatorship petitions require detailed medical and financial declarations, and a mistake or omission can delay a hearing while a vulnerable family member goes without protection.

What does a conservatorship cost?

Costs vary depending the facts of the case. For example, whether the petition is contested and whether a conservator of the estate must post a bond. We review the likely costs for your specific situation during a consultation, before you file anything.

Can a conservatorship be avoided?

Sometimes. A valid power of attorney or advance health care directive signed while your family member still had capacity can often accomplish the same goals without going to court, so we typically review those documents first before recommending a filing.

What if family members disagree about who should serve as conservator?

Disagreement is common and does not automatically mean the case goes to trial. Some contested cases resolve once each side understands what the court investigator’s report says, though we prepare each case as if a hearing may become necessary.

What ongoing responsibilities does a conservator have once appointed?

A conservator of the estate must file an initial accounting with the court one year after appointment, then at least every two years after that (Cal. Prob. Code § 2620), covering the conservatee’s financial accounts and assets, unless the court orders more frequent reporting. Missing a filing deadline can lead the court to remove the conservator (Cal. Prob. Code § 2650). A conservator of the person alone does not file estate accountings but remains subject to the court’s ongoing review.

If you are weighing any of this for a parent, spouse, or sibling in Palos Verdes, we can walk through your specific situation before you file anything.

Talk to a Palos Verdes Conservatorship Attorney Before You File

Deciding whether a conservatorship is the right step, and doing it in a way that holds up in Los Angeles County Superior Court, are both easier with guidance from attorneys who regularly appear in Los Angeles probate court.

Contact Wickers, Wickers & Admans LLP to schedule a consultation and find out what protecting your Palos Verdes family member requires, before the question becomes urgent.

Call today for clarity before conflict: (310) 540-2520