Fresno County Department of Health v. Besoyan

Ronald Besoyan appeals the March 14, 1984, order of the Fresno County Superior Court affirming a prior order (following a court hearing) granting the petition of the Public Guardian of Fresno County for a Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) conservatorship. The March order stemmed from a three-day jury trial culminating in a finding that Ronald Besoyan was gravely disabled as a result of a mental disorder. (§§ 5350, 5008, subd. (h)(1).) Appellant was thereafter placed by his conservator, the Fresno County Director of Health, in a licensed psychiatric facility.

We appointed counsel on appeal for the conservatee. Counsel has filed a brief setting forth the facts of the case. She presents no argument for reversal, but asks this court to review the record for error pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 [ 158 Cal.Rptr. 839 , 600 P.2d 1071 ], In People v. Wende , at pages 440-442, the Supreme Court directed the Courts of Appeal to review the entire record whenever appointed counsel for an indigent criminal defendant submits a brief which raises no specific issues or describes the appeal as frivolous.

Although Wende review has been held applicable to certain civil…