Conservatorship Status Review Calendar

To Join Department 12 “Zoom” Online

• Navigate to website: https://sonomacourt-org.zoomgov.com/j/1603772262
• Enter Meeting ID: 160 377 2262
• And Password: 419097

To Join Department 12 “Zoom” By Phone:

• Call: +1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose) and enter same meeting ID and password as listed above.

Guide for Participating in Court Proceedings via Zoom for Dept 12:

• After joining the meeting and checking in with the clerk, please mute your audio when not speaking. This helps keep background noise to a minimum.
• Be mindful of background noise when your microphone is not muted. Avoid activities that could create additional noise, such as shuffling papers.
• Position your camera properly if you choose to use a web camera. Be sure it is in a stable position and focused at eye level, if possible. Make sure everything visible in the frame is appropriate for an appearance in court.
• If a confidential session becomes necessary it is incumbent on you to ensure you are able to participate from a private location so that unauthorized people cannot overhear or see the proceedings.
• Chat is enabled for the sharing of documents among participants and the court and to allow attorneys to communicate individually with each other or their clients only. No chat messages should be sent privately to the court as it would amount to an unauthorized ex parte communication. Neither should chat messages be sent to all participants unless directed by the court.
• The recording function has been disabled. Remember, the prohibition against recording court proceedings, even remote ones, remains.
• Be patient. Check in will take more time and the experience from those who have tried this before is that proceedings are a little slower generally.

1. Conservatorship of Dan Sebastian Carpadus
   SPR47963
   Review

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The conservatorship shall continue without modification.

The matter is SET on the September 10, 2026, case management conference calendar at 3:00 p.m. in Department 12. The co-conservators are directed to file the following documents:

The co-conservators are directed to file and serve the following documents:

1. Notice After Change of Residence of Conservatee (Judicial Council Form GC-080), providing updated contact information for the conservatee.

2. Request and Order for Waiver of Accounting (Judicial Council Form GC-410), for the period beginning September 1, 2016.

3. Petition to Transfer Venue, including Notice of Hearing, Proof of Service and proposed Order.

All forms must be served all the required parties, including the Sonoma County Public Defender.

If the required forms are completed and filed at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, no appearances shall be required.

If no petition to transfer venue is filed, the Court will revoke letters, terminate the conservatorship and dismiss the case without prejudice.  The co-conservators may then refile it in the appropriate county if it is still needed.

2. Conservatorship of Hanna
   SPR48266
   Review

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The conservatorship shall continue without modification.

The matter is SET on January 14, 2028, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 12, for the biennial review and report of the court investigator.

The co-conservators are directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office.  However, if a fee waiver, based on the financial situation of the conservatee, is granted within 30 days, the fees shall not be payable.

3. Conservatorship of Alison Koehler
   SPR79565
   Review

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The limited conservatorship shall continue without modification, except that the Public Defender is appointed as counsel for the conservatee.  A copy of these minutes shall be provided to the Public Defender by the court clerk.

The Court acknowledges receipt of the recently filed required change of contact forms. The documents have been reviewed and are satisfactory.

The matter is SET on Thursday, March 9, 2028, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 12, for biennial review and report of the court investigator.

The limited co-conservators are directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office.  However, if a fee waiver, based on the financial situation of the limited conservatee, is granted within 30 days, the fees shall not be payable.

4. Conservatorship of Carolyn Streater
   SPR81876
   Review

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The Court finds based on the facts presented in the report of the Court Investigator that the conservatorship is no longer needed.  The Court waives the requirement of the filing of a petition to terminate.  The conservatorship is TERMINATED.

The case is DISMISSED without prejudice to refiling in the future if needed.

5. Conservatorship of Samantha J.M. Brunner
   SPR84616
   Termination of Conservatorship

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQURED. The Sonoma County Public Defender is directed to meet with the conservatee to discuss the conservatorship and file a report at least ten (10) days prior to the next hearing.

The matter is CONTINUED to July 24, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 12, for the report of conservatee’s counsel.  At that time, the Court is inclined to revoke letters and terminate the conservatorship as there is no evidence that the conservatee suffers from a major neurocognitive disorder or other qualifying conditions such that a probate conservatorship is appropriate under the law.  The Court also notes that in the absence of qualify conditions for the imposition of a probate conservatorship, establishing one for the purpose of allowing the conservators direct access to her medical records and providers is also not supported under the law.  The appropriate legal mechanism for assistance for someone who is gravely disabled as a result of mental illness is an LPS conservatorship. 

The Court notes that historically in this case, the existence of the probate conservatorship was not successful in assisting the conservatee and that it was not until the prior LPS conservatorship was ultimately established that successful intervention occurred.  The hope that any intervention for a loved one can be the least restrictive one necessary is not only reasonable, but also part of the standard in the administration of LPS conservatorship cases.  However, to the extent non-voluntary interventions are unsuccessful, the conservatee continues to suffer and involuntary interventions may become the best option for treatment to protect the health and welfare of the conservatee.  Involuntary interventions are only available in an LPS conservatorship. 

The Court would encourage the conservators to explore their ability to intervene in the conservatee’s treatment as soon as possible via an LPS conservatorship, since voluntary compliance is not reported to have been successful up to this point and there is no historical evidence to support a belief that will change.

The conservators are directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office.  However, if a fee waiver, based on the financial situation of the conservatee, is granted within 30 days, the fees shall not be payable.

6. Conservatorship of Julia Bertoli
   SPR85462
   Termination of Conservatorship

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The conservatorship shall continue without modification, except that the Public Defender is appointed as counsel for the conservatee.  A copy of these minutes shall be provided to the Public Defender by the court clerk.

The co-conservators are directed to file and serve the following documents prior to the next hearing, in order to update the Court with current addresses and contact information of both the limited conservatee and conservator:

1. Notice After Change of Residence of Conservatee (Judicial Council Form GC-080), providing updated contact information for the conservatee.

2. Notice of Change of Address or Other Contact Information (Judicial Council Form MC-040) – one for each of the two co-conservators.

The matter is SET on Thursday, March 17, 2028, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 12, for the biennial review and report of the court investigator. The Court will also address compliance with filing the required documents at that time.

The conservators are directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office.  However, if a fee waiver, based on the financial situation of the conservatee, is granted within 30 days, the fees shall not be payable.

***End of Tentative Rulings***

1. Conservatorship of Dennis Schmidt
   SPR68996
   OSC Hearing

Tentative Ruling: APPEARANCES REQUIRED. No contact has been made with the conservatee despite the issuance of an Order to Show Cause requiring conservator to make the conservatee available to the Court Investigator within 15 days.  Unless an appearance is made at the hearing to update the Court on the status of the conservatorship, the conservator shall be removed, letters revoked and the case dismissed without prejudice pursuant to the Order to Show Cause.

***End of Tentative Rulings***