Guardianship of Slakmon

These are appeals from two different orders reducing the total amount of attorney’s fees paid to appellant in connection with his services for the guardian and conservator of a minor. The primary issue raised in these appeals is whether the trial court lacked jurisdiction to set aside orders entered more than six months earlier. Additional questions are raised concerning whether the court acted properly in ordering appellant himself, rather than the guardian/conservator, to reimburse the estate, and concerning the substance of the trial court’s determination of the proper amount for fees.

Mr. Slakmon died early in 1970, leaving a wife and two children. At that time a guardianship account was created for son Robert Slakmon with one-third of the proceeds of a $25,000 life insurance policy, supplemented by other funds, making a total of $11,054. His mother, Eugenia Slakmon, was appointed guardian and appellant, Ricardo Callejo, the decedent’s “best friend,” was engaged as her counsel.

At various times, during both the guardianship and the subsequently created conservatorship, appellant prepared and Mrs. Slakmon signed petitions for release of funds to compensate counsel…