Public Guardian v. K.H. CA1/3

BACKGROUND

K.H. has been under conservatorship since 2021. Because her pending conservatorship was set to expire, the public guardian filed a petition to “reestablish” conservatorship for an additional year. The petition asserted K.H. “is still gravely disabled as a result of a mental disorder,” and attached the opinions of Frederick Stoddard, M.D., a psychiatrist, and Artoleles Tandinco, M.D., a physician. Dr. Stoddard’s declaration stated K.H. was under his care, he examined K.H. in advance of the petition, and he

1 All further statutory references are to the Welfare & Institutions

Code. concluded K.H. was then suffering from “Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type.” He noted she was confused, disoriented, and unable to care for herself. Specifically, Dr. Stoddard stated K.H. “needs encouragement to bathe and take medications” and does not believe she needs medication. He emphasized she “would NOT take [medications] if she were not in the hospital.” Dr. Stoddard further noted K.H. “remains psychotic and internally preoccupied,” is “paranoid and delusional that people are touching her or harassing her,” and yells and blames staff “for things that never happened.” He recommended…