Conservatorship of the Person and Estate of A.P. CA2/6

Facts A.P., an elderly member of the Chumash Tribe, became the subject of a conservatorship after concerns were expressed regarding the personal and medical care he was receiving and whether he was subject to financial abuse. As temporary conservator, appellant stabilized A.P.’s living situation by obtaining medical care for him, clearing a cluttered home, securing his real property and hiring in-home caregivers and security. After 11 months, appellant was removed as temporary conservator and a permanent conservator was appointed. A.P. died about two years later, in late August 2024.1 Appellant filed a petition for approval of his first and final accounting and to recover fees for his services and for the attorney fees incurred by the estate. The public defender, who served as counsel for A.P., objected to both the accounting and to the fee requests because, among other things, the accounting did not comply with the Probate Code, appellant did not provide receipts for many expenditures and did not take control of $729,000 in tribal benefits that were being withheld by the tribe and $8,000 in Social Security checks owed to A.P. Appellant responded that his limited authority as…