Montana § 72-5-410 - Who May Be Appointed Conservator -- Priorities

§ 72-5-410. Who May Be Appointed Conservator -- Priorities

Who may be appointed conservator -- priorities. (1) The court may appoint an individual or a corporation with general power to serve as trustee as conservator of the estate of a protected person. The following are entitled to consideration for appointment in the order listed: (a) a conservator, guardian of property, or other like fiduciary appointed or recognized by the appropriate court of any other jurisdiction in which the protected person resides; (b) an individual or corporation nominated by the protected person if the person is 14 years of age or older and has, in the opinion of the court, sufficient mental capacity to make an intelligent choice; (c) the spouse of the protected person; (d) an adult child of the protected person; (e) a parent of the protected person or a person nominated by the will of a deceased parent; (f) any relative of the protected person with whom the protected person has resided for more than 6 months prior to the filing of the petition; (g) a person nominated by the person who is caring for the person or paying benefits to the person; (h) a conservator corporation organized under Title 35, chapter 2; (i) the public administrator. (2) A person in priorities listed in subsections (1)(a) and (1)(c) through (1)(f) may nominate in writing a person to serve in that person's stead. (3) With respect to persons having equal priority, the court is to select the one who is best qualified of those willing to serve. The court, for good cause, may pass over a person having priority and appoint a person having less priority or no priority.