Divorcing an Incapacitated Spouse: How a Guardianship and Conservatorship Can Help

It can be necessary in some divorce proceedings to include a guardian and conservator if one or both of the spouses are unable to manage their personal affairs and property because of a clinically diagnosed impairment. This goes beyond the common complaint of divorcing couples, "My husband/wife is terrible with money!"

It goes to whether a spouse has the actual ability to understand the management of his or her personal affairs and finances. When one or both spouses are lacking this level of understanding, a judge in a divorce case will want to see that neither spouse is being taken advantage of in the divorce process, and a guardian and conservator is one way to install a safeguard.

Because both guardians and conservators have authority over the incapacitated spouse, subject to any limitations as set forth by the court, both can (and both are required, assuming that there is marital property) sign a divorce agreement binding the individual.

If a guardian and conservator have not already been appointed prior to the commencement of divorce proceedings, but it would be appropriate to do so, either individual, or someone not involved in the divorce case, could begin a petition for a guardianship and conservatorship over the incapacitated individual. If there is a guardianship and conservatorship in existence, the divorce case can proceed provided that the guardian and conservator are not the spouse, for obvious conflict of interest reasons. In that instance, someone else would need to be named guardian and conservator before the divorce would proceed.

Should you have any questions about guardianship or conservatorship, contact Attorney Jonathan R. Eaton, or call 508.655.5980 to schedule an initial consultation.

Comments

What is the purpose of the Divorce Nisi waiting period?

In Massachusetts the statutory waiting period after a Judgment of Divorce and before the divorce becomes final (or absolute) is called the Nisi period. After a divorce case settles or goes to trial, a Judgment of Divorce Nisi will issue and it will become Absolute after a further ninety (90) days. This waiting period serves the purpose of allowing parties to change their mind before the divorce becomes final. If the Judgment of Divorce Nisi has issued but not become final yet, and you and your spouse decide you don't want to get divorced, then you can file a Motion to Dismiss and the Judgment will be undone. Although many of my clients who are getting divorced think the idea of getting back together with their ex sounds crazy, I have had cases where this happened. In addition to offering a grace period to change your mind, the Nisi period has three other legal effects: 1. The most obvious effect of the waiting period is that you cannot remarry during the Nisi period, be...

2024 U.S. Presidential Party Platforms - What are the policy positions that could affect families?

While the laws that affect family formation, marriage and divorce are often made at the state level, there are also many policies and laws at the federal level that affect families and children. Just some examples from recent years that have impacted families in my mediation practice include changes to the federal tax laws (such as the elimination of the alimony tax deduction ) and U.S. Supreme Court rulings on same sex marriage and reproductive health rights. In just over a month, the United States presidential election will have a significant impact on these federal policies going forward, and could choose the next appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court as well. In 2016 and 2020 we shared what each presidential platform said about families and policy regarding family formation and dissolution, and below we'll provide you an update on the 2024 presidential platforms. As Maya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."...

Updating your Divorce Agreement Template - More Lessons from Cavanagh v. Cavanagh

We recently posted a lengthy review of the the Massachusetts SJC decision in Cavanagh v. Cavanagh (2002) which included some recommendations for drafting divorce agreements, also typically called Separation Agreements. The Cavanagh case is best known for it's clarification of how the courts should evaluate support calculations when a case may have both alimony and child support. However, the case also contained numerous rulings that should make practitioners review their Separation Agreement templates and change some of the ways in which they may have previously drafted certain sections. In this post we'll share actual language from the Gray Jay Endeavors, LLC form Separation Agreement template which addresses each of the issues raised by the Cavanagh decision. If you are a professional interested in purchasing the full Separation Agreement template, check out Gray Jay's forms subscription which includes editable Massachusetts court forms and financial st...

Search This Blog