Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 802h - Protected Persons and Their Property
Section 45a-646. (Formerly Sec. 45-70e). - Petition for voluntary representation.

Any person may petition the Probate Court in the district in which he or she resides, is domiciled or is located at the time the petition for voluntary representation is filed either for the appointment of a conservator of the person or a conservator of the estate, or both. If the petition excuses bond, no bond shall be required by the court unless later requested by the respondent or unless facts are brought to the attention of the court that a bond is necessary for the protection of the respondent. Upon receipt of the petition, the court shall set a time and place for hearing and shall give such notice as it may direct to the petitioner, the petitioner's spouse, if any, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, if the respondent is receiving aid or care from the state, and to other interested parties, if any. After seeing the respondent in person and hearing his or her reasons for the petition and after explaining to the respondent that granting the petition will subject the respondent or respondent's property, as the case may be, to the authority of the conservator, the court may grant voluntary representation and thereupon shall appoint a conservator of the person or estate or both, and shall not make a finding that the petitioner is incapable. The conservator of the person or estate or both, shall have all the powers and duties of a conservator of the person or estate of an incapable person appointed pursuant to section 45a-650. If the respondent subsequently becomes disabled or incapable, the authority of the conservator shall not be revoked as a result of such disability or incapacity.

(P.A. 77-446, S. 5; P.A. 79-358, S. 4; P.A. 80-476, S. 125; P.A. 87-87; P.A. 91-49, S. 4; P.A. 15-217, S. 21.)
History: P.A. 79-358 required that notice of hearing be given to commissioner of administrative services if respondent is receiving aid or care from state; P.A. 80-476 rephrased provisions and made technical correction, substituting “administrative” for “administration” in commissioner's title; P.A. 87-87 added provision that subsequent disability or incompetence of respondent does not revoke the authority of the conservator; Sec. 45-70e transferred to Sec. 45a-646 in 1991; P.A. 91-49 added requirement that court explain to respondent that granting petition will subject respondent or respondent's property to authority of conservator prior to granting voluntary representation, changed powers and duties of conservator from those “set forth in sections 45a-644 to 45a-662, inclusive” to “of a conservator of the person or estate of an incapable person appointed pursuant to section 45a-650” and changed “incompetent” to “incapable” and “incompetence” to “incapacity”; P.A. 15-217 substituted “petition” for “make application to” and “application”, substituted “is domiciled or is located at the time the petition for voluntary representation is filed” for “or has his domicile for voluntary representation” and made technical changes, effective January 1, 2016.
A person who is subject to a voluntary conservatorship pursuant to statute does not retain legal authority to jointly manage his or her estate as to those matters assigned to the conservator, but rather the conservator has exclusive control over such matters subject to any statutory restrictions or requirements. 341 C. 815.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes