Guardianship of K-M

2005 ME 8, 866 A.2d 106, 2005 Me. LEXIS 9
CourtSupreme Judicial Court of Maine
DecidedJanuary 18, 2005
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 2005 ME 8 (Guardianship of K-M) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Judicial Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guardianship of K-M, 2005 ME 8, 866 A.2d 106, 2005 Me. LEXIS 9 (Me. 2005).

Opinion

CALKINS, J.

[¶ 1] Derryl Denise K-M appeals from the adjudication of incapacity and the appointment of a guardian and conservator for her by the Cumberland County Probate Court (Childs, /.). She argues that (1) 18-A M.R.S.A. § 5-303(b)(1998) violates the Due Process Clauses of the United States and Maine Constitutions; (2) the court’s order pursuant to section 5 — 303(b), requiring her to submit to a psychological evaluation without an evidentiary hearing, violated her due process rights; and (3) the Probate Court erred in adjudicating her an incapacitated person. We disagree with her contentions, and we affirm the judgment.

I. PROCEDURE AND FACTS

[¶ 2] K-M lives at her condominium in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the winter and in the summer she stays at a family camp in Bridgton.1 K-M is es[109]*109tranged from her sister, Diane, who is a part owner of the family camp and a joint owner with K-M of various equities. In January 2002, Diane petitioned a New Hampshire court to commit K-M. The court denied the petition finding that there was no evidence that K-M was mentally ill and at risk from her own actions.

A. Petition for Guardianship

[¶ 3] A few months after a New Hampshire court declined to commit K-M, Diane filed a petition with the Probate Court for her appointment as K-M’s guardian and conservator. The petition alleged that KM suffers from a mental illness, is at risk of physical harm because of her behavior, and is unable to manage her property and affairs. The petition reported that she assaulted and harassed neighbors and was unable to arrange for home repairs, thereby living without indoor plumbing. Additionally, the petition stated that K-M claims to hear voices and believes that others are spying on her and videotaping her. The petition also contained allegations concerning finances, such as K-M’s failure to pay taxes and condominium fees. The petition further stated that K-M was the joint owner of shares of valuable stock but that she had failed or refused to return or redeem the stock of companies that had merged.

[¶ 4] The Probate Court appointed a visitor who served K-M with notice of the petition.2 The visitor reported to the Probate Court that K-M asked for copies of the statutes that were cited in the petition. When the visitor suggested she was not entitled to such copies, she said she would insist upon it. She declined to be interviewed by the visitor. The visitor further reported that K-M was “suspicious because of ‘all the legal documents’ she has had to deal with lately, but she would not elaborate.” The visitor concluded that there was a “paranoid, passive aggressive flavor to her reaction” to his visit and the court proceeding.

B. Motion for Psychological Evaluation

[¶ 5] Diane also filed an ex parte motion for a psychological evaluation of K-M supported by her own affidavit. The motion stated that it was brought pursuant to M.R. Prob. P. 35.3 Diane’s affidavit stated that K-M on many occasions has said that she hears voices, is being secretly video[110]*110taped and that others listen to her through her radio. Diane also averred that K-M has said that she can control the minds of others. Diane listed phone calls she received from K-M’s neighbors and the incidents they had described to her concerning K-M’s behavior. The affidavit further detailed K-M’s living conditions, her lack of medical treatment, her failure to pay taxes and condominium fees, and other financial circumstances.

[¶ 6] The court granted Diane’s motion for an ex parte psychological evaluation. The court found that there was good cause for the examination, a finding presumably based upon the affidavit, petition, motion, and visitor’s report.

[¶ 7] Two weeks later, and before the psychological examination took place, the court appointed an attorney to represent K-M.4 K-M, through her attorney, then filed an objection to the order for a psychological evaluation and requested that the court vacate the order.

[¶ 8] The court held a conference attended by counsel and the parties. No evidence was presented. At the conference Diane contended that the court was required to order a psychological evaluation pursuant to 18-A M.R.S.A. § 5-303(b).6 K-M argued that an evidentiary hearing was required so that the court could determine if there was good cause for the examination and that a finding of good cause was.required by M.R. Prob. P. 35. She contended that she had a protected constitutional interest in refusing an evaluation and could not be deprived of that interest without due process. After receiving memoranda of law from the parties on the issue of whether an evidentiary hearing was required, the court concluded that section 5 — 303(b) applied and ordered K-M to submit to an evaluation by a named psychologist, without granting her request for an evidentiary hearing.

[¶ 9] The psychologist met with K-M twice and interviewed her for a total of six hours. K-M’s attorney was present throughout the interviews. The psychologist did not perform any tests. He filed a report with the Probate Court stating that K-M’s thinking was “rife with significant persecutory delusions.” He further reported that she believes that people have been routinely entering her residences, stealing property, defacing and vandalizing items, and at other times simply moving things to annoy her. According to the psychologist, K-M believes that she has been under surveillance through video cameras around her Bridgton home and that the electronics of her car radio could broadcast her thoughts to those who were harassing her. The psychologist characterized her as “suspicious, evasive, obfuscatory and circumstantial.” K-M was unwilling to discuss any medical or psychological treatment she might have undergone, and she provided only rudimentary facts to the psychologist about her income, stocks, and assets. The psychologist’s diagnosis was that “she is experiencing at least a persecutory delusional disorder and possibly one of a paranoid schizophrenia.” Without a history from her, he was unable to opine further on the diagnosis. It was his opinion that K-M’s ability to care for herself was limited and [111]*111that she was incapable of establishing her place of abode, making provisions for her care, comfort and maintenance, arranging for medical care for herself, or managing and protecting her assets.

C. Hearing on the Petition

[¶ 10] At the hearing on the guardianship petition, the evaluating psychologist, the Bridgton police chief, Bridgton neighbors, a cousin, Diane, and K-M all testified. Letters, other documents, and photographs were admitted into evidence. Diane filed a plan setting forth the proposed living arrangements for K-M and other particulars required by 18-A M.R.S.A. § 5-303(a)(1998).

[¶ 11] The police chief testified that K-M had made numerous, unfounded complaints to the Bridgton police of people breaking into her home. Neighbors of her Bridgton camp testified about an incident where K-M had thrown rocks at a neighbor and an incident where K-M had slapped another neighbor. There was evidence that K-M had engaged in diatribes and outbursts at camp association meetings in 2000 and 2001.

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Bluebook (online)
2005 ME 8, 866 A.2d 106, 2005 Me. LEXIS 9, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guardianship-of-k-m-me-2005.