Following the ruling of a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, renowned songwriter and co-founder of the American rock band The Beach Boys Brian Wilson has been put under conservatorship. If you’re wondering what happened to him and why the court decided on conservatorship, here are all the details you need to know.
Brian Wilson placed in conservatorship
Wilson, who is aged 81, recently faced an immeasurable loss, following the death of his beloved wife Melinda Ledbetter Wilson. The cause of her death has not been revealed yet. Since then, Wilson has been diagnosed with dementia and takes medication for it. His late wife was reportedly the person who handled most of his personal and professional decisions.
According to USA TODAY, the Los Angeles Superior Court has decided to appoint LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers as conservators to take care of the Beach Boys singer’s healthcare decisions on his behalf. However, they are requested to keep Wilson’s seven children in the loop regarding their father’s health so they can be consulted on all decisions.
The ruling was made after a doctor’s petition stated that Wilson is unable to care for himself, and therefore should not make decisions about his well-being on his own. On the morning of May 9th, Judge Gus T. May gave his verdict, stating that it was “necessary” to appoint conservators for Wilson.
What is a conservatorship?
A conservatorship is a legal arrangement made by a court wherein they decide to hand over the decision-making duties of a particular individual to appointed conservators. For the most part, individuals who are deemed to be unable to make sound decisions due to psychological or health-related problems are put under conservatorship. This can also apply to minors and senior citizens.
Conservators have the ability to handle financial and healthcare issues on a person’s behalf. Control over the decision-making process of a conservatee depends on the court’s decision. Sometimes they can have no power to make decisions or have limited power.
Oftentimes, the terms guardianship and conservatorship are used interchangeably, but they refer to different situations. The former term has more to do with overseeing the everyday activities of an individual. However, the latter is about giving the authority to make financial and medical decisions.
Over the years, there have been many celebrities who have opted for conservatorship following a court’s rulings. Some of the most famous celebrities to have conservatorships are Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Randy Meisner.
