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Conservatorships

If the tentative ruling does not require appearances, and is accepted, no appearance is necessary. 

Any party who wishes to be heard in response or opposition to the Court’s tentative ruling MUST NOTIFY the Court’s Judicial Assistant by telephone at (707) 521-6893 and MUST NOTIFY all other parties of the intent to appear, and whether they will appear in person or by Zoom.  Both notifications must be completed no later than 4:00 p.m. on the court (business) day immediately before the day of the hearing.

Unless notification of an appearance has been given as provided above, the tentative ruling shall become the ruling of the court the day of the hearing at the beginning of the calendar, absent an objection from an interested party per Probate Code section 1043.    

To Access the Probate Examiner Notes:

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To Join Department 12 “Zoom” Online

To Join Department 12 “Zoom” By Phone:

  • Call: +1 669-254-5252 US (San Jose) and enter the 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.

Tentative Rulings

October 10, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.

  1. Conservatorship of Eric Daniel Stein
    24PR00347
    Waiver of Account & Report

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

Despite irregularities, the Request and Order for Waiver of Accounting for the period of August 16, 2024, through August 15, 2025, is granted.

Matter is SET on the August 26, 2027, case management conference calendar at 3:00 p.m. in Department 12 for status of account, or if applicable, request to waive an account.  If an accounting or Request and Order for Waiver of Accounting is filed at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, no appearances shall be required.

 

  1. Conservatorship of Diana Marie Kauth
    25PR00810
    Appointment of Conservator

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. In light of the Request for Dismissal filed on October 7, 2025, the matter is DROPPED from calendar.

 

  1. Conservatorship of Larry L. Quarles
    25PR00869
    Appointment of Conservator

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The Petition of Annette Lerdahl for appointment as conservator of the person with medical authority pursuant to Probate Code [PrC] §2355, and conservator of the estate is APPROVED.

Powers requested under PrC §2356.5, for secure placement and for the administration of medication for a major neurocognitive disorder, is approved.

The conservatee is disqualified from voting, pursuant to Sections 2208 and 2150 of the Elections Code.  The order has been revised to conform to this ruling.

Bond is set in the amount of $1,452,500.00.

The matter is SET on the February 19, 2026, probate case management conference calendar at 3:00 p.m. in Department 12 for review of compliance with the Probate Code sections listed below:

-Probate Code § 1830 Notice of Conservatee’s Rights (Judicial Council Form GC-341) and a copy of the Order Appointing Conservator shall be mailed on or before the 30th day following the filing date of the Order Appointing Conservator.

-Probate Code § 2352.5: Confidential Conservatorship Care Plan – Part 1 (Judicial Council Form GC-355) and Part 2 (Judicial Council Form GC-356) shall be filed with the court within 120 days of the date of the Court’s Order Appointing Conservator.

-Probate Code § 2610 Inventory and Appraisal (Judicial Council Form GC-040) shall be filed with the court within 90 days of appointment of conservator along with the notice of how to file an objection (Judicial Council Form GC-042).

Petitioner is directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00 within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court, in care of the Probate Division. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship.

If the conservator complies with all requirements above, no appearances shall be required, and a new case management conference date shall be set for one month after the first accounting is due for accounting status.

 

  1. Conservatorship of Roger Craig Anderman
    25PR00872
    Appointment of Conservator

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The Court has been informed that the proposed conservatee objects to the conservatorship and wishes to attend the hearing.  However, there is a capacity assessment and declaration indicating a medical inability to do so.  In addition, counsel for the proposed conservatee has requested an opportunity to meet with his client prior to any hearing. 

Therefore, this matter is CONTINUED to November 6, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 12 to allow time for the Sonoma County Public Defender to meet with the proposed conservatee to discuss his objections to the conservatorship.  In addition, counsel for the conservatee is directed to determine whether the proposed conservatee wishes to have a trial by jury or by the court, and evaluate whether he has the capacity to make such a determination. 

In probate conservatorship proceedings, unlike LPS conservatorship proceedings, a personal waiver of a jury trial by a proposed conservatee is not required (Conservatorship of the Person of B.C., (2016) 6 Cal. App. 5th 1028).  The Court’s view is that a trial court may accept counsel's waiver of the right to a trial by jury where there is an explicit finding of substantial evidence that the proposed conservatee lacks the capacity to make a knowing and voluntary waiver, and there is substantial evidence in the record that supports that finding at the time of counsel's waiver.  (By contrast see Conservatorship of Heather W., (2016) 245 Cal.App.4th 378, 385 [counsel’s waiver invalid where the record failed to disclose such evidence was present.].) 

The Court therefore requests to hear from appointed counsel on this issue.  Based on the only information presently before it, the capacity declaration, the report of the court investigator and the uncontradicted factual assertions in the verified petition for appointment of conservator, the Court would likely find the proposed conservatee presently lacks the capacity to make a knowing and voluntary waiver of the right to a trial by jury and that if appointed counsel wishes to waive the right to a trial by jury at the time of the hearing, the Court would accept the waiver as valid. 

In that event, the trial could be conducted by the Court forthwith at the next hearing based on the papers on file, testimony of the proposed conservatee should he wish to testify, and any arguments of counsel. However, if appointed counsel has a different view after meeting with his client, of course this is all subject to change.  And petitioner and appointed counsel are welcome to suggest other courses of action.

The parties are ordered to meet and confer and file statements of issues addressing the above matters prior to the next hearing in accordance with local rules.

 

***End of Tentative Rulings***

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