§ 1997. — 1997. (Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 553, Sec. 20.)

(a)
If at any time a court of this state determines that it acquired jurisdiction to appoint a conservator because of unjustifiable conduct, the court may do any of the following:
(1)
Decline to exercise jurisdiction.
(2)
Exercise jurisdiction for the limited purpose of fashioning an appropriate remedy to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the conservatee or proposed conservatee or the protection of the property of the conservatee or proposed conservatee or to prevent a repetition of the unjustifiable conduct, including staying the proceeding until a petition for the appointment of a conservator of the person, conservator of the
estate, or conservator of the person and estate is filed in a court of another state having jurisdiction.
(3)
Continue to exercise jurisdiction after considering all of the following:
(A)
The extent to which the conservatee or proposed conservatee and all persons required to be notified of the proceedings have acquiesced in the exercise of the court’s jurisdiction.
(B)
Whether it is a more appropriate forum than the court of any other state under the factors set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 1996.
(C)
Whether the court of any other state would have jurisdiction under factual circumstances in substantial conformity with the jurisdictional standards of Section 1993.
(b)
If a court of
this state determines that it acquired jurisdiction to appoint a conservator because a party seeking to invoke its jurisdiction engaged in unjustifiable conduct, it may assess against that party necessary and reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, investigative fees, court costs, communication expenses, medical examination expenses, witness fees and expenses, and travel expenses. The court may not assess fees, costs, or expenses of any kind against this state or a governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of this state unless authorized by law other than this chapter.

Legislative History

Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 553, Sec. 20. (SB 940) Effective January 1, 2015. Operative January 1, 2016, by Stats. 2014, Ch. 553, Sec. 29.