Arizona Laws 14-5304. Findings; limitations; filing; fingerprinting
A. In exercising its appointment authority pursuant to this chapter, the court shall encourage the development of maximum self-reliance and independence of the incapacitated person.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 14-5304
- Allegation: something that someone says happened.
- Court: means the superior court. See Arizona Laws 14-1201
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Guardian: means a person who has qualified as a guardian of a minor or incapacitated person pursuant to testamentary or court appointment but excludes a person who is merely a guardian ad litem. See Arizona Laws 14-1201
- Incapacitated: means lacking the ability to manage property and business affairs effectively by reason of mental illness, mental deficiency, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, confinement, detention by a foreign power, disappearance, minority or other disabling cause. See Arizona Laws 14-9101
- Incapacitated person: means any person who is impaired by reason of mental illness, mental deficiency, mental disorder, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication or other cause, except minority, to the extent that he lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning his person. See Arizona Laws 14-5101
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Person: means an individual or an organization. See Arizona Laws 14-1201
- Petition: means a written request to the court for an order after notice. See Arizona Laws 14-1201
- Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
- Security: includes any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under that title or lease, collateral trust certificate, transferable share or voting trust certificate and, in general, includes any interest or instrument commonly known as a security, or any certificate of interest or participation, any temporary or interim certificate, receipt or certificate of deposit for, or any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of these securities. See Arizona Laws 14-1201
- Ward: means a person for whom a guardian has been appointed. See Arizona Laws 14-5101
B. The court may appoint a general or limited guardian as requested if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that:
1. The person for whom a guardian is sought is incapacitated.
2. The appointment is necessary to provide for the demonstrated needs of the incapacitated person.
3. The person’s needs cannot be met by less restrictive means, including the use of appropriate technological assistance.
C. In conformity with the evidence regarding the extent of the ward‘s incapacity, the court may appoint a limited guardian and specify time limits on the guardianship and limitations on the guardian’s powers.
D. The guardian shall file an acceptance of appointment with the appointing court.
E. The court may require each person who seeks appointment as a guardian to furnish a full set of fingerprints to enable the court to conduct a criminal background investigation. The court shall submit the person’s completed fingerprint card to the department of public safety. The person shall bear the cost of obtaining the person’s criminal history record information. The cost shall not exceed the actual cost of obtaining the person’s criminal history record information. Criminal history records checks shall be conducted pursuant to section 41-1750 and Public Law 92-544. The department of public safety may exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of investigation. This subsection does not apply to a fiduciary who is licensed pursuant to section 14-5651 or an employee of a financial institution.
F. The court shall make a specific finding as to whether the appointment of a guardian is due solely to the ward’s physical incapacity.
G. Unless the court makes a specific finding that the appointment of a guardian is due solely to the ward’s physical incapacity under subsection F of this section, at the time of appointing a guardian, the court shall transmit the ward’s name, sex and date of birth, the last four digits of the ward’s social security number, if available, the court case number, the court originating agency identification number and the date of the guardian’s appointment to the supreme court. The supreme court shall transmit the information to the department of public safety. The department of public safety shall transmit the information to the national instant criminal background check system.
H. If a petition for guardianship is withdrawn before an adjudication of incapacity or is denied based on a finding that the allegation of incapacity is unproven or if a petition for guardianship was filed frivolously or without merit, the court may order public access to the file, the records contained in the file, or information about the file be prohibited absent a subsequent court order allowing such access after a showing of good cause.