Guardians must use Form 4-996 NMRA for filing annual or final reports and for the initial 90-day report that must be submitted within 90 days of the guardian’s appointment by a court.

Conservators must use Form 4-998 NMRA for filing annual or final reports with a court. A conservator is required to use Form 4-997 NMRA when filing an inventory of a protected person’s estate within 90 days of the conservator’s appointment by the court.

Reports are to be filed with the court clerk’s office in the district court that appointed the guardian or conservator. State law also requires copies of all reports to be provided to the appointing judge or the judge’s successor, to the protected person and to the protected person’s guardian and/or conservator, if any.

All guardians and conservators are responsible for remembering the date to file all reports with the court. The court will not send a reminder to the guardian and/or conservator.

Contact information for district courts is available on the Judiciary’s website at https://nmcourts.gov/find-your-court/.

All newly appointed conservators for a protected person must obtain and file a surety bond with the court, unless the court (1) approves another alternative asset-protection arrangement, or (2) waives the bonding requirement after a determination that a bond is unnecessary to safeguard the protected person’s interests. The bond is similar to an insurance policy, serving to protect an individual’s estate against losses from possible mismanagement or fraud.

Conservators appointed before July 1, 2018, may be required to obtain a surety bond by the judge assigned to the case.

A conservator must submit a notice of bonding to the court using Form 4-995 NMRA. A statement must be completed by the corporate surety using Form 4-995.1 NMRA and must be attached to the conservator’s notice of bonding.

Effective July 1, 2018, a court hearing to determine whether a guardian or conservator should be appointed “shall be determined by the court at an open hearing unless, for good cause, the court determines otherwise”. Sections 45-5-303(N) and 45-5-407(Q), NMSA 1978. Prior to this change in state law, all hearings were required to be sequestered, or closed to the public. Any party may file a motion to close a hearing and if a judge finds good cause to grant the motion, the hearing will not be open to the public.

Effective July 1, 2018, different levels of access to court records for guardianship and conservatorship cases were created.  In general, the existence of a court case concerning the appointment of a guardian or conservator for an adult is “a matter of public record” unless the court seals the record. The court may seal a case only if (1) the petition is dismissed or (2) the guardianship or conservatorship is terminated and a motion to seal the case is filed.

Documents filed in the case:  The register of actions and docket entries in guardianship and conservatorship cases are available to public but this does not include access to the actual documents filed with the court. State law prohibits the disclosure of any records that include diagnostic, treatment and other medical or psychological information. In addition, a report filed by a guardian ad litem is “confidential and shall be sealed on filing”.

Persons entitled to notice of court hearings and to access case documents:  Individuals who are identified in the petition and are entitled to receive notice in the guardianship or conservatorship proceeding (such as a spouse, adult children, power of attorney, etc.) have a right to access court records up until the date a court order is issued appointing a guardian or conservator. After the court appoints a guardian or conservator, court records are only available to the protected person, the guardian or conservator, and any other individuals explicitly identified by the court.

Financial statements, records or information: Rule 1-145 of Civil Procedure for the District Courts requires a separate confidential filing of financial statements when submitting an annual report. The confidential filing of financial statements shall include a cover sheet with the case caption, and title “Sealed – Confidential Information” that includes the total number of pages submitted. The confidential financial statements shall not redact any information and shall automatically be sealed by the court. The confidential filing of financial statements shall not be disclosed to any person or entity unless authorized by court order.

Access the cover sheet for sealed confidential information, pursuant to Rule 1-145.

CHART – Access to Information in Adult Guardianship & Conservatorship Cases

Access a chart that outlines the types of information and access available in Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship cases.

A person not otherwise entitled to access court records for good cause may petition the court for access to court records of the guardianship and/or conservatorship. The court shall grant access if access is in the best interest of the alleged incapacitated person or protected person or furthers the public interest and does not endanger the welfare or financial interest of the alleged incapacitate person or the protected person.

A surety bond is similar to an insurance policy purchased by a conservator to protect the assets of an incapacitated person that is under conservatorship. A bonding company will issue a bond on behalf of the court-appointed conservator to insure that the conservator fulfills the legal responsibilities to manage the financial assets of the protected person appropriately.  If a conservator misuses or steals the assets of the protected person, the bond company will pay actual losses, up to the value of the bond, to the protected person’s estate.

Section 45-5-411, NMSA 1978, which became effective July 1, 2018, requires the posting of a surety bond with the court for all newly appointed conservators, unless the court (1) approves another alternative asset-protection arrangement, or (2) waives the bonding requirement after a determination that a bond is unnecessary to safeguard the protected person’s interests. Conservators appointed before July 1, 2018 may be required to obtain a surety bond if ordered by the judge assigned to the case.

The judge will determine whether the estate of the protected person or the court-appointed conservator will pay the cost of a surety bond. The estate of the protected person may be required to pay the cost of a surety bond because the bond insures the protected person against loss or theft.  The surety bond is similar to home or car insurance, purchased by the car or home owner.

A surety bond usually costs between 1-10% of the amount of coverage requested, depending on the conservator’s overall credit rating.

If the protected person’s estate is small or does not have sufficient funds to pay for a surety bond, the court can waive the bond requirement since there are limited assets that need protection.

If the protected person does not have any significant assets, then the appointment of a conservator is not necessary. A surety bond is meant to provide the protected person with additional safeguards if misuse or theft of their assets occurs. State law does not require a surety bond for court-appointed guardians.

Most major insurance companies provide surety bonds.

Judges have ongoing judicial authority over an adult guardianship/conservatorship case. The judge can order a guardian and/or conservator to appear in court to review the status of the guardianship/conservatorship at any time. Any person who believes that a guardian or conservator is not fulfilling their legal duties and obligations may file a grievance with the court. Click here for additional information on how to file a grievance.

During the 2021 legislative session House Bill 234 was passed. This bill created the Guardianship Annual Report Review Division (GARRD) at the Administrative Office of the Courts.

“The guardianship annual report review division at the AOC shall review all reports upon their filing. The results of the review shall be delivered to the district judge presiding over the guardianship case.” 

GARRD staff began compliance reviews of annual reports filed by court-appointed guardians in December 2021. The compliance review focuses on whether the guardian is complying with any statutory obligations and is in compliance with any previous judicial orders. GARRD staff will not be conducting in person visits to check on the protected person or making any legal determinations about the appropriateness of the guardian or the guardian’s actions. The results of GARRD’s compliance reviews are forwarded to the assigned judge.

In 2018 the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Auditor’s Office entered into an MOU the allowed the State Auditor to conduct a financial review for court-appointed conservators. What began as a pilot project, with judges referring cases to the State Auditor for review and evaluation of a protected person’s estate and financial affairs, has evolved into a broader and more comprehensive auditing process.

During the 2021 legislative session House Bill 234 was passed. This bill states:

“The court shall forward all reports submitted under Section 45-5-409 to the office of the state auditor for review within five business days of receipt of the report. The office of the state auditor shall review the report filed by the conservator and decide whether a full audit is necessary. The office of the state auditor shall submit, within fifteen business days of receiving a report from the court, either a letter of review declining to conduct a full audit or a letter of acceptance to conduct an audit. If the office of the state auditor decides to conduct an audit of the contents in the report, an audit report shall be filed with the court within ninety calendar days of filing an acceptance for an audit. The state auditor shall have the authority to subpoena any documents, records or statements from any individual, company, entity of financial institution necessary to conduct an audit of the contents of a conservator’s report. The office of the state auditor shall be available to testify at any court hearing concerning the results of the audit report”.

Since July 1, 2021, the State Auditor has begun to review all annual reports filed by court-appointed conservators.

If physical or sexual abuse is suspected, local law enforcement should be notified immediately for further investigation. The district attorney’s office has the authority to charge individuals for physical abuse or neglect, sexual abuse and financial exploitation. Judges can remove a guardian or conservator from a case but they do not have the power to file criminal charges.