Guardianship

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Given the travel restrictions that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unlikely that many recently-commenced adult guardianship proceedings have led to jurisdictional disputes in courts in different states.  Pre-pandemic, however, in anticipation of commencing adult guardianship proceedings, parties moved the subjects of those proceedings from one state to another, presumably to gain a strategic advantage in forthcoming guardianship disputes. In Matter of J.D.S., New York County Surrogate Rita Mella rendered what appears to be the first reported decision addressing whether a court in New York, or another state, was the appropriate forum for a guardianship dispute concerning a person under a disability. Rob Harper discusses the decision in our latest post.…
Continue Reading The Resolution of Interstate Adult Guardianship Disputes in New York

In two recent decisions, Surrogate Lopez Torres of Kings County denied petitions for guardianship under SCPA Article 17-A, demonstrating the strict circumstances under which guardians are appointed under this particular statute. Unlike under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law, the court has no discretion or authority to limit or tailor the powers of a guardian under Article 17-A. Thus, in both proceedings, the court was quite cognizant of the fact that an Article 17-A guardianship is the most restrictive form of guardianship available in New York. Hillary Frommer discusses the decisions in our latest entry.…
Continue Reading Article 17-A Guardianship: It is Not for Everyone