History: P.A. 80-476 reordered Subdivs. to place terms in alphabetical order; P.A. 84-271 amended the definitions of
"conservator of the estate" and "conservator of the person" to include a "municipal" official, deleting the requirement that
a state official be "legally authorized", and to include a temporary conservator appointed under Sec. 45-72; Sec. 45-70a
transferred to Sec. 45a-644 in 1991; P.A. 93-184 amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) by deleting references to "advanced age";
P.A. 05-154 amended Subsec. (c) to define "incapable of caring for himself or herself".
Sec. 45a-654. (Formerly Sec. 45-72). Appointment of temporary conservator.
Duties. (a) Upon written application for appointment of a temporary conservator brought
by any person deemed by the court to have sufficient interest in the welfare of the
respondent, including, but not limited to, the spouse or any relative of the respondent,
the first selectman, chief executive officer or head of the department of welfare of the
town of residence or domicile of any respondent, the Commissioner of Social Services,
the board of directors of any charitable organization, as defined in section 21a-190a, or
the chief administrative officer of any nonprofit hospital or such officer's designee, the
Court of Probate may appoint a temporary conservator if the court finds that: (1) The
respondent is incapable of managing his or her affairs or incapable of caring for himself
or herself, and (2) immediate and irreparable injury to the mental or physical health or
financial or legal affairs of the respondent will result if a temporary conservator is not
appointed pursuant to this section. The court may, in its discretion, require the temporary
conservator to give a probate bond. The court shall limit the duties, responsibilities and
powers of the temporary conservator to the circumstances that gave rise to the application
and shall make specific findings to justify such limitation. In making such findings, the
court shall consider the present and previously expressed wishes of the respondent, the
abilities of the respondent, any prior appointment of an attorney-in-fact, health care
agent, trustee or other fiduciary acting on behalf of the respondent, any support service
otherwise available to the respondent and any other relevant evidence. The temporary
conservator shall have charge of the property or of the person of the respondent or both
for such period of time or for such specific occasion as the court finds to be necessary,
provided a temporary appointment shall not be valid for more than thirty days, unless
at any time while the appointment of a temporary conservator is in effect, an application
is filed for appointment of a conservator of the person or estate under section 45a-650. The court may (A) extend the appointment of the temporary conservator until the
disposition of such application under section 45a-650, or for an additional thirty days,
whichever occurs first, or (B) terminate the appointment of a temporary conservator
upon a showing that the circumstances that gave rise to the application for appointment
of a temporary conservator no longer exist.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, an appointment of a temporary conservator shall not be made unless a report is presented to the judge, signed by
a physician licensed to practice medicine or surgery in this state, stating: (1) That the
physician has examined the respondent and the date of such examination, which shall
not be more than three days prior to the date of presentation to the judge; (2) that it is
the opinion of the physician that the respondent is incapable of managing his or her
affairs or incapable of caring for himself or herself; and (3) the reasons for such opinion.
Any physician's report filed with the court pursuant to this subsection shall be confidential. The court may issue an order for the disclosure of the medical information required
pursuant to this subsection.
(c) (1) If the court determines that the delay resulting from giving notice and appointing an attorney to represent the respondent as required in subsection (d) of this
section would cause immediate and irreparable injury to the mental or physical health
or financial or legal affairs of the respondent, the court may, ex parte and without prior
notice to the respondent, appoint a temporary conservator upon making the findings
required in subsection (a) of this section, provided the court makes a specific finding
in any decree issued on the application stating the immediate or irreparable injury that
formed the basis for the court's determination and why such hearing and appointment
was not required.
(2) After making such ex parte appointment, the court shall immediately: (A) Appoint an attorney to represent the respondent, provided if the respondent is unable to
pay for the services of such attorney, the reasonable compensation for such attorney
shall be established by, and paid from funds appropriated to, the Judicial Department,
except that if funds have not been included in the budget of the Judicial Department for
such purposes, such compensation shall be established by the Probate Court Administrator and paid from the Probate Court Administration Fund; (B) schedule the date, place
and time of a hearing to be held not later than seventy-two hours after the issuance of
the court's decree, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; and (C) give notice
by mail, or such other notice as the court deems appropriate, to the respondent, the
respondent's next of kin and such attorney, which notice shall include: (i) A copy of
the application for appointment of temporary conservator and the accompanying physician's report; (ii) a copy of the decree appointing a temporary conservator; and (iii)
the date, place and time of the hearing scheduled pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this
subdivision, except that if the court determines that notice to the respondent under this
subdivision would be detrimental to the health or welfare of the respondent, the court
may give such notice only to the respondent's next of kin and the respondent's attorney.
(3) After such hearing, the court shall confirm or revoke the appointment of the
temporary conservator or may modify the duties, responsibilities or powers assigned
under such appointment.
(d) If the court determines that an ex parte appointment of a temporary conservator
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section is not appropriate but finds substantial evidence
that appointment of a temporary conservator may be necessary, the court shall hold a
hearing on the application. Unless continued by the court for cause, such hearing shall
be held not later than seventy-two hours after receipt of the application, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Prior to such hearing, the court shall appoint an attorney
to represent the respondent in accordance with subsection (c) of this section and shall
give such notice as it deems appropriate to the respondent, the respondent's next of kin
and such attorney, which notice shall include a copy of the application for appointment
of a temporary conservator and the accompanying physician's report. After hearing and
upon making the findings required in subsection (a) of this section, the court may appoint
a temporary conservator.
(e) The court may waive the medical evidence requirement under subsection (b) of
this section if the court finds that the evidence is impossible to obtain because of the
refusal of the respondent to be examined by a physician. In any such case the court may,
in lieu of medical evidence, accept other competent evidence. In any case in which the
court waives the requirement of medical evidence as provided in this subsection, the
court shall (1) make a specific finding in any decree issued on the application stating
why medical evidence was not required, and (2) schedule a hearing in accordance with
subsection (c) or (d) of this section, which hearing shall take place not later than seventy-two hours after the issuance of the court's decree.
(f) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, a temporary conservator
may not change the respondent's residence unless a court specifically finds, after a
hearing, that such change is necessary.
(g) (1) If the temporary conservator determines it is necessary to cause the respondent to be placed in an institution for long-term care, the temporary conservator may
make such placement after the temporary conservator files a report of such intended
placement with the probate court that appointed the temporary conservator, except that
if the placement results from the respondent's discharge from a hospital or if irreparable
injury to the mental or physical health or financial or legal affairs of the respondent
would result from filing the report before making such placement, the temporary conservator shall make the placement before filing the report provided the temporary conservator (A) files the report not later than five days after making such placement, and (B)
includes in the report a statement as to the hospital discharge or a description of the
irreparable injury that the placement averted.
(2) The report shall set forth the basis for the temporary conservator's determination,
what community resources have been considered to avoid the placement, and the reasons
why the respondent's physical, mental and psychosocial needs cannot be met in a less
restrictive and more integrated setting. Such community resources include, but are not
limited to, resources provided by the area agencies on aging, the Department of Social
Services, the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Mental Retardation, any center for independent living, as defined in section 17b-613, any residential
care home or any congregate or subsidized housing. The temporary conservator shall
give notice of the placement and a copy of such report to the respondent and any other
interested parties as determined by the court.
(3) Upon the request of the respondent or such interested party, the court shall hold
a hearing on the report and placement not later than thirty days after the date of the
request. The court may also, in its discretion, hold a hearing on the report and placement
in any case where no request is made for a hearing. If the court, after such hearing,
determines that the respondent's physical, mental and psychosocial needs can be met
in a less restrictive and more integrated setting within the limitations of the resources
available to the respondent, either through the respondent's own estate or through private
or public assistance, the court shall order that the respondent be placed and maintained
in such setting.
(4) For purposes of this subsection, an "institution for long-term care" means a
facility that has been federally certified as a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care
facility.
(h) Upon the termination of the temporary conservatorship, the temporary conservator shall file a written report with the court of his or her actions as temporary conservator.
(1955, S. 2908d; 1957, P.A. 449; February, 1965, P.A. 590, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 385; P.A. 75-72; P.A. 77-446, S. 6; 77-614, S. 521, 610; P.A. 79-631, S. 83, 111; P.A. 80-227, S. 9, 24; 80-476, S. 130; P.A. 84-202; 84-271, S. 6; 84-294, S. 8;
P.A. 90-230, S. 58, 101; P.A. 93-262, S. 65, 87; P.A. 95-89; P.A. 96-170, S. 9, 23; P.A. 97-90, S. 5, 6; P.A. 04-142, S. 4;
P.A. 05-154, S. 1.)
History: 1965 act authorized board of directors of charitable organization to make application for appointment of
temporary conservator; 1967 act allowed appointment to cover charge of person in lieu of or in addition to the estate;
P.A. 75-72 authorized applications by chief administrative officer of any nonprofit hospital or his designee; P.A. 77-446
authorized applications by first selectman, chief executive officer or head of town department of welfare or by commissioner
of social services, rephrased provision so that court makes finding as to respondent's capability where provisions had been
phrased to imply that such finding was previously made and added hearing provisions; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner
of social services with commissioner of human resources, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-631 replaced human resources
commissioner with commissioner of children and youth services; P.A. 80-227 substituted "probate bond" for "bond,
conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties, in an amount to be determined by the judge", effective July 1,
1981; P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions; P.A. 84-202 and P.A. 84-294 amended Subsec.
(a) by replacing commissioner of children and youth services with commissioner of human resources as authority empowered to apply for appointment of temporary conservator; P.A. 84-271 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing provision allowing
"written application by the husband, wife or any relative" with "written application of any person deemed by the court to
have sufficient interest in the welfare of the respondent, including but not limited to the spouse or any relative of the
respondent", and deleting "commissioner of children and youth services" and adding "commissioner of human resources"
and "the commissioner on aging" as agency heads authorized to make application, and amended Subsec. (c) by requiring
the application to be acted upon within forty-eight hours of filing, Saturdays and Sundays excluded, unless continued for
cause shown; P.A. 90-230 corrected an internal reference in Subsec. (a); Sec. 45-72 transferred to Sec. 45a-654 in 1991;
P.A. 93-262 replaced reference to commissioners of human resources and aging with commissioner of social services,
effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-89 amended Subsec. (a) by specifying applicability to appointment of temporary conservators, by adding irreparable harm to health or financial or legal affairs as ground for appointment, by granting discretionary
power to require that bond be posted and by authorizing extension of appointment in cases where application for appointment
of conservator under Sec. 45a-650 is filed, amended Subsec. (b) by changing requirement of two physicians to one physician
and added provision re date of examination and opinion, deleted former provisions of Subsec. (c) and added new provisions
re ex parte appointment of temporary conservator, added Subsec. (d) re hearing and notice where ex parte appointment
not appropriate, added Subsec. (e) re waiver of medical evidence requirement and added Subsec. (f) re written report on
termination of temporary conservatorship; P.A. 96-170 amended Subsec. (c) by changing funding of compensation of
counsel from Probate Court Administration Fund to funds appropriated to Judicial Department, unless funds not included
in budget of Judicial Department for such purpose, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 97-90 revised effective date of P.A. 96-170 but without affecting this section; P.A. 04-142 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re confidentiality of physician's report filed with the court and re court order for disclosure of required medical information and by making technical
changes; P.A. 05-154 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute "immediate and irreparable" for "immediate" in Subdiv. (2), to
provide that the court shall limit duties, responsibilities and powers to the circumstances that gave rise to the application,
to add factors the court shall consider in making findings, to insert Subpara. (A) designator and "under section 45a-650"
in Subpara. (A), and to add new Subpara. (B) re termination of appointment, amended Subsec. (b)(2) to insert "incapable",
amended Subsec. (c) to insert new Subdiv. designators (1) to (3), to insert new language in Subdiv. (1) re court determination
that delay will result in injury and requiring specific findings, to insert "ex parte" re appointment and change Subdiv. and
Subpara. designators in Subdiv. (2), to insert new Subpara. (B) re scheduling date, place and time of hearing not later than
seventy-two hours after decree, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, to add new Subpara. (C)(iii) re date, place
and time of hearing, to delete former provisions re hearings, and to rewrite Subdiv. (3) re court duties after hearing, amended
Subsec. (e)(2) to delete "if a hearing has not been held", added new Subsec. (f) re restrictions on changing respondent's
residence, added new Subsec. (g) re placement of respondent in an institution for long-term care, redesignated existing
Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (h), and made technical changes, effective June 24, 2005.
Sec. 45a-656. (Formerly Sec. 45-75a). Duties of conservator of the person. (a)
The conservator of the person shall have: (1) The duty and responsibility for the general
custody of the respondent; (2) the power to establish his or her place of abode within
the state; (3) the power to give consent for his or her medical or other professional
care, counsel, treatment or service; (4) the duty to provide for the care, comfort and
maintenance of the ward; (5) the duty to take reasonable care of the respondent's personal
effects; and (6) the duty to report at least annually to the probate court which appointed
the conservator regarding the condition of the respondent. The preceding duties, responsibilities and powers shall be carried out within the limitations of the resources available
to the ward, either through the ward's own estate or through private or public assistance.
(b) The conservator of the person shall not have the power or authority to cause the
respondent to be committed to any institution for the treatment of the mentally ill except
under the provisions of sections 17a-75 to 17a-83, inclusive, 17a-456 to 17a-484, inclusive, 17a-495 to 17a-528, inclusive, 17a-540 to 17a-550, inclusive, 17a-560 to 17a-576, inclusive, 17a-615 to 17a-618, inclusive, and 17a-621 to 17a-664, inclusive, and
chapter 359.
(c) (1) If the conservator of the person determines it is necessary to cause the ward
to be placed in an institution for long-term care, the conservator may make such placement after the conservator files a report of such intended placement with the probate
court that appointed the conservator, except that if the placement results from the ward's
discharge from a hospital or if irreparable injury to the mental or physical health or
financial or legal affairs of the ward would result from filing the report before making
such placement, the conservator shall make the placement before filing the report provided the conservator (A) files the report not later than five days after making such
placement, and (B) includes in the report a statement as to the hospital discharge or a
description of the irreparable injury that the placement averted.
(2) The report shall set forth the basis for the conservator's determination, what
community resources have been considered to avoid the placement, and the reasons why
the ward's physical, mental and psychosocial needs cannot be met in a less restrictive
and more integrated setting. Such community resources include, but are not limited to,
resources provided by the area agencies on aging, the Department of Social Services,
the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of
Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Mental Retardation, any center for independent living, as defined in section 17b-613, any residential care home or
any congregate or subsidized housing. The conservator shall give notice of the placement
and a copy of such report to the ward and any other interested parties as determined by
the court.
(3) Upon the request of the ward or such interested party, the court shall hold a
hearing on the report and placement not later than thirty days after the date of the request.
The court may also, in its discretion, hold a hearing on the report and placement in any
case where no request is made for a hearing. If the court, after such hearing, determines
that the ward's physical, mental and psychosocial needs can be met in a less restrictive
and more integrated setting within the limitations of the resources available to the ward,
either through the ward's own estate or through private or public assistance, the court
shall order that the ward be placed and maintained in such setting.
(4) For purposes of this subsection, an "institution for long-term care" means a
facility that has been federally certified as a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care
facility.
(P.A. 77-446, S. 8; P.A. 80-476, S. 132; P.A. 94-27, S. 13, 17; P.A. 05-155, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions; Sec. 45-75a transferred to Sec. 45a-656
in 1991; P.A. 94-27 amended Subsec. (b) to delete reference to Secs. 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive, effective July 1, 1994;
P.A. 05-155 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute "the ward's" for "his", and added new Subsec. (c) re duties if the conservator
determines it is necessary to place the ward in an institution for long-term care.
Sec. 45a-661. (Formerly Sec. 45-77a). Transfer of records upon relocation of
person under representation. When any person under voluntary or involuntary representation becomes a settled inhabitant of any town in the state in a probate district other
than the one in which a conservator was appointed, and is an actual resident in such
district, the court of probate in which the conservator was appointed shall, upon motion
of the conservator, the person under conservatorship, the first selectman or the chief
executive officer of the town in which the person under conservatorship resides or the
husband or wife or a relative of the person under conservatorship, transfer the file to
the probate district in which the person under conservatorship resides at the time of the
application. A transfer of the file shall be accomplished by the probate court in which
the conservator was originally appointed by making copies of all recorded documents
in the court and certifying each of them and then causing them to be delivered to the
court for the district in which the person under conservatorship resides. When the transfer
is made, the court of probate in which the person under conservatorship resides at the
time of transfer shall thereupon assume jurisdiction over the conservatorship and all
further accounts shall be filed with such court.
(P.A. 77-446, S. 11; P.A. 80-476, S. 138; P.A. 05-26, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 80-476 made minor changes in wording; Sec. 45-77a transferred to Sec. 45a-661 in 1991; P.A. 05-26
added "the person under conservatorship" re persons who may initiate a motion to transfer file and made a technical change.
PART V
GUARDIANS OF MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS
Sec. 45a-676. (Formerly Sec. 45-328). Appointment of plenary guardian or
limited guardian. (a) If the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that the
respondent is, by reason of the severity of his mental retardation, totally unable to meet
essential requirements for his physical health or safety and totally unable to make informed decisions about matters related to his care, the court shall appoint a plenary
guardian or plenary coguardians of the person with mental retardation who shall have
all those powers and duties provided for in section 45a-677.
(b) If the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent is able
to do some, but not all, of the tasks necessary to meet essential requirements for his
physical health or safety or that the respondent is able to make some, but not all, informed
decisions about matters related to his care, the court shall appoint a limited guardian or
limited coguardians of the person with mental retardation.
(c) For the purposes of sections 45a-669 to 45a-684, inclusive, and 46b-38ii, any
alleged inability of the respondent must be evidenced by recent behavior which would
cause harm or create a risk of harm, by clear and convincing proof.
(d) The court shall take from any such plenary guardian or limited guardian a written
acceptance of such guardianship and, if the court deems it necessary for the protection
of the respondent, a probate bond.
(e) The court shall make written findings of fact which support each grant of authority to the plenary guardian or limited guardian. If the court in reaching its conclusion
is relying on incidents of behavior which occurred more than six months prior to the
date of hearing, the court findings shall include its reasoning for relying upon such
incidents.
(f) In selecting a plenary guardian or limited guardian of the person with mental
retardation, the court shall be guided by the best interests of the respondent, including,
but not limited to, the preference of the respondent as to who should be appointed as
plenary guardian or limited guardian. No person shall be excluded from serving as a
plenary guardian or limited guardian solely because such person is employed by the
Department of Mental Retardation, except that (1) no such employee may be appointed
as a plenary guardian or limited guardian of a person with mental retardation residing
in a state-operated residential facility for persons with mental retardation located in the
Department of Mental Retardation region in which such person is employed; and (2)
no such employee shall be so appointed unless no other suitable person to serve as
plenary guardian or limited guardian can be found. Any appointment of an employee
of the Department of Mental Retardation as a plenary guardian or limited guardian shall
be made for a limited purpose and duration. During the term of appointment of any such
employee, the Commissioner of Mental Retardation shall search for a suitable person
who is not an employee of the department to replace such employee as plenary guardian
or limited guardian.
(P.A. 82-337, S. 9; P.A. 83-420, S. 1; P.A. 85-310, S. 1; P.A. 86-323, S. 6; P.A. 03-51, S. 5; P.A. 04-257, S. 108; P.A.
05-10, S. 19; 05-288, S. 152.)
History: P.A. 83-420 amended Subsec. (e) re appointment of employee of the department of mental retardation as
guardian or limited guardian of a mentally retarded person; P.A. 85-310 added references to coguardians and limited
coguardians; P.A. 86-323 substituted "meet essential requirements for his physical health or safety" for "care for himself
or his personal affairs"; added "plenary" before "guardian", added provision requiring alleged inability of respondent to
be evidenced by recent behavior which would cause harm or create risk of harm, by clear and convincing proof; deleted
requirement that court make and furnish findings upon request of respondent and added provision requiring written findings
of fact for each grant of authority to guardian and if incidents of behavior recurred more than six months before hearing,
court must include reasons for relying on such incidents; Sec. 45-328 transferred to Sec. 45a-676 in 1991; P.A. 03-51
substituted "person with mental retardation" for "mentally retarded person" in Subsecs. (a), (b) and (f); P.A. 04-257 made
technical changes in Subsec. (f), effective June 14, 2004; (Revisor's note: In 2005, a reference in Subsec. (c) to Sec. 45a-668 was changed editorially by the Revisors to Sec. 45a-669 to reflect the repeal of Sec. 45a-668 by P.A. 04-54); P.A. 05-10 amended Subsec. (c) to add reference to Sec. 46b-38ii and make a technical change; P.A. 05-288 made technical changes
in Subsec. (c), effective July 13, 2005.
PART VI
STERILIZATION
Sec. 45a-690. (Formerly Sec. 45-78p). Definitions. For the purposes of sections
45a-690 to 45a-700, inclusive:
(1) "Sterilization" means a surgical or other medical procedure, the purpose of
which is to render an individual permanently incapable of procreating;
(2) "Informed consent" means consent that is (A) based upon an understanding of
the nature and consequences of sterilization, (B) given by a person competent to make
such a decision, and (C) wholly voluntary and free from coercion, express or implied;
(3) "Institution" means a state school or hospital or other residential facility operated
or leased by the state of Connecticut; and
(4) "Best interest" shall include all of the following factors: (A) Less drastic alternative contraceptive methods have proved unworkable or inapplicable, (B) the individual
is physiologically sexually mature, (C) there is no evidence of infertility, (D) the individual has the capability and a reasonable opportunity for sexual activity, (E) the individual
is unable to understand reproduction or contraception and there exists the likely permanence of that inability, (F) the physical or emotional inability to care for a child, (G) the
proponents of the sterilization are seeking sterilization in good faith and their primary
concern is for the best interests of the respondent rather than their own convenience or
the convenience of the public, and (H) in the case of females, procreation would endanger
the life or severely impair the health of the individual.
(P.A. 79-543, S. 1, 14; P.A. 82-199, S. 1; P.A. 99-84, S. 6; P.A. 04-29, S. 1; 04-257, S. 97; P.A. 05-288, S. 153.)
History: P.A. 82-199 amended definition of "best interest" to include sexual maturity, no evidence of infertility, inability
to understand reproduction or contraception, inability to care for child and good faith and best interest of respondent as
primary concern; Sec. 45-78p transferred to Sec. 45a-690 in 1991; P.A. 99-84 amended definition of "sterilization" in
Subsec. (a) by adding "or other medical" after "surgical" and adding "permanently" before "incapable of procreating";
P.A. 04-29, effective April 28, 2004, and P.A. 04-257, effective June 14, 2004, both made technical changes; P.A. 05-288
made a technical change in Subdiv. (4)(F), effective July 13, 2005.