Conservatorship of Z.A. CA1/2 ( 2023 )


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  • Filed 6/20/23 Conservatorship of Z.A. CA1/2
    NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
    California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for
    publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or
    ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.
    IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
    FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT
    DIVISION TWO
    Conservatorship of the Person of
    Z.A.
    CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
    PUBLIC GUARDIAN,
    Plaintiff and Respondent,
    A166483
    v.
    Z.A.,                                                               (Contra Costa County Super. Ct.
    No. MSP21–00548
    Objector and Appellant.
    Appellant Z.A. appeals from a trial court order reappointing the Contra
    Costa County Public Guardian as conservator of his person under the
    Lanterman–Petris–Short Act (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 5350 et seq.; LPS Act).
    This appeal is authorized by Probate Code section 1301.
    Appointed counsel has filed a brief setting out the applicable facts and
    law and asking this court to conduct a review of the record pursuant to
    Conservatorship of Ben C. (2007) 
    40 Cal.4th 529
     (Ben C.). Counsel has also
    informed appellant that he may file a supplemental brief and that if no
    supplemental brief is filed, this court might dismiss the appeal as abandoned.
    Appellant has not filed a supplemental brief.
    1
    FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
    On April 18, 2022, the Director of the Contra Costa County Health
    Services Department (Public Guardian) filed a petition for reappointment as
    conservator over appellant. The petition alleged appellant was declared
    gravely disabled on June 15, 2021, and the conservatorship would terminate
    on June 14, 2022, absent reappointment.1 It was alleged that, as a result of a
    mental disorder, appellant was unable to provide for his basic personal needs
    for food, clothing, and shelter and he continued to be gravely disabled. The
    Public Guardian sought imposition of special disabilities that appellant (1)
    not have the right to refuse psychotropic medications (Welf. & Inst. Code,2
    § 5357, subd. (d)) and (2) be disqualified from possessing firearms or any
    other deadly weapon (id., subd. (f)).
    At a hearing on May 13, 2022, appellant objected to reappointment of a
    conservator and requested a jury trial. (See § 5350, subd. (d)(1) [“The person
    for whom conservatorship is sought shall have the right to demand a court or
    jury trial on the issue of whether the person is gravely disabled”].) Appellant
    was represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
    A trial on the question whether appellant was gravely disabled began
    on October 24, 2022, with selection of the jury. Over the next two days, the
    Public Guardian called three witnesses: Deputy Conservator Candelario
    Castillo, Dr. Michael Levin, who testified as an expert in psychiatry and
    evaluating for grave disability, and appellant’s sister.
    1   The record shows appellant accepted conservatorship on June 15,
    2021.
    Further undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and
    2
    Institutions Code.
    2
    Castillo is a licensed clinical social worker. He testified that, as deputy
    conservator, he is “responsible for ensuring my conservatees are receiving
    adequate treatment and housing and basically food, clothing or shelter.”
    Castillo served as appellant’s conservator. He met appellant over Zoom in
    August 2022, met with appellant and his treatment team by Zoom in early
    October, and talked with appellant again by phone in late October. At trial,
    Castillo testified about appellant’s affect and what appellant reported to
    Castillo about his diagnoses, medications, and recent experiences.3
    Levin is a psychiatrist who works “for the conservator’s office
    evaluating people and then testifying as to whether or not they are gravely
    disabled,” and he also sees patients at the Concord Adult Mental Health
    Center. He testified that he has qualified as an expert witness in the area of
    evaluation for grave disability in California over 200 times. Levin
    interviewed appellant over Zoom in August and October of 2022 and
    previously saw him in January 2018 and December 2016. He also reviewed
    appellant’s medical records and spoke with appellant’s treating psychiatrist.
    At trial, Levin described his interviews with appellant and the diagnosis he
    reached. Levin also gave his opinion regarding appellant’s ability to
    rationally advocate for himself to obtain shelter.
    Appellant’s sister lived with their parents. She testified her role in the
    family was “[f]amily caretaker [for] more than ten years.” Appellant lived at
    home with the family in 2021, and his sister testified about his behavior in
    the home. She visited appellant about two weeks before the trial, and she
    3Appointed counsel applied for leave to file an unredacted brief under
    seal and a public (redacted) version, noting that medical and psychological
    reports are confidential, and this court granted the application. This opinion
    does not discuss evidence that appellant described under seal.
    3
    described what he told her during the visit. Appellant’s sister testified their
    parents were over 65 years old and appellant could not live at home with
    them.
    On October 26, the jury began deliberations and reached a verdict,
    finding appellant was “presently gravely disabled due to a mental disorder.”
    The court authorized the Public Guardian to place appellant in an
    appropriate locked treatment facility and imposed special disabilities
    prohibiting appellant from refusing treatment related to his grave disability
    and from possessing firearms or other deadly weapons.
    DISCUSSION
    “In an indigent criminal defendant’s first appeal as a matter of right,
    the Court of Appeal must independently review the record if appointed
    counsel represents he or she has found no arguable issues. (Anders v.
    California (1967) 
    386 U.S. 738
     . . .; People v. Wende (1979) 
    25 Cal.3d 436
    (Wende).)” (Ben C., 
    supra,
     40 Cal.4th at p. 535.)
    In Ben C., our high court held Wende review is not required in
    conservatorship proceedings such as this one because of the “panoply of
    safeguards appropriately geared to the specific goals and interests involved”
    provided under the LPS Act. (Ben C., 
    supra,
     40 Cal.4th at p. 543.) In
    dissent, Chief Justice George observed that the majority’s decision “in no way
    prevents the Courts of Appeal from expending the minimal effort required to
    provide these appeals with a second look and to provide an opinion that
    briefly notes the court has reviewed the record and that identifies the
    findings and evidence supporting the order,” and he encouraged appellate
    courts “to expend the few hours required in these rare cases to ensure that
    conservatees are not inappropriately confined, and to treat these individuals
    in a considerate and compassionate manner rather than summarily
    4
    informing them that their appeals are frivolous and have been abandoned.”
    (Id. at pp. 556–557 (dis. opn. of George, C.J.).)
    Here, appellate counsel has provided a summary of the procedures
    employed. We have taken the “second look” at the record suggested by the
    Ben C. dissent, and we are satisfied substantial evidence supports the jury’s
    verdict and the trial court’s order. Accordingly, we affirm the order
    reappointing the Public Guardian as conservator over appellant.
    DISPOSITION
    The order is affirmed.
    5
    _________________________
    Miller, J.
    WE CONCUR:
    _________________________
    Stewart, P.J.
    _________________________
    Markman, J.*
    A166483, Contra Costa County Public Guardian v. Z.A.
    *Judge of the Alameda Superior Court, assigned by the Chief Justice
    pursuant to article VI, section 6 of the California Constitution.
    6
    

Document Info

Docket Number: A166483

Filed Date: 6/20/2023

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 6/20/2023