New York Mental Hygiene Law Section 81.23 - Provisional remedies.

81.23 Provisional remedies.

(a) Temporary guardian.

1. At the commencement of the proceeding or at any subsequent stage of the proceeding prior to the appointment of a guardian, the court may, upon showing of danger in the reasonably foreseeable future to the health and well being of the alleged incapacitated person, or danger of waste, misappropriation, or loss of the property of the alleged incapacitated person, appoint a temporary guardian for a period not to extend beyond the date of the issuance of the commission to a guardian appointed pursuant to this article. The powers and duties of the temporary guardian shall be specifically enumerated in the order of appointment and are limited in the same manner as are the powers of a guardian appointed pursuant to this article. Prior to the expiration of the term of appointment, the temporary guardian shall report to the court all actions taken pursuant to the order appointment. The court may approve a reasonable compensation for the temporary guardian; however, if the court finds that the temporary guardian has failed to discharge his or her duties satisfactorily in any respect, the court may deny or reduce the amount of compensation or remove the temporary guardian.

2. Notice of the appointment of the temporary guardian shall be given to the person alleged to be incapacitated and to any person having custody or control over the person or property of the person alleged to be incapacitated in such manner as the court may prescribe.

3. The authority and responsibility of a temporary guardian begins upon the issuance of the commission of temporary guardianship.

4. The court may require the temporary guardian to file a bond in accordance with section 81.25 of this article.

(b) Injunction and temporary restraining order.

1. The court may, at any time prior to or after the appointment of a guardian or at the time of the appointment of a guardian with or without security, enjoin any person, other than the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated from selling, assigning, or from disposing of property or confessing judgment which may become a lien on property or receiving or arranging for another person to receive property from the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated or doing or suffering to be done any act or omission endangering the health, safety or welfare of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated when an application under this article seeks such an injunction and it satisfactorily appears from the application, affidavits, and other proofs that a person has done, has suffered to be done or omitted to do, or threatens to do or is about to do an act that endangers the health, safety or welfare of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated or has acquired or is about to acquire any property from the incapacitated person or person alleged to be incapacitated during the time of that person's incapacity or alleged incapacity without adequate consideration. Such order shall be made upon an order to show cause or upon the initiative of the court and may, upon the application for the appointment of a guardian, in the discretion of the court, be continued for ten days after the appointment of a guardian. Notice of any injunction shall be given to any person enjoined, to the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated, and to any person having custody or control over the person or property of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated in such manner as the court may prescribe.

2. A temporary restraining order may be granted with or without security when an application seeks an injunction under paragraph one of this subdivision and where the court is satisfied that in the absence of such restraining order, the property of the incapacitated person or person alleged to be incapacitated would be dissipated to that person's detriment or that the health, safety or welfare of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated would be endangered. Notice of the temporary restraining order shall be given to any person restrained, to the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated, and to any person having custody or control over the person or property of the incapacitated person or person alleged to be incapacitated in such manner as the court may prescribe. Such temporary restraining order shall neither be vacated nor modified except upon notice to the petitioner and to each person required to receive notice of the petition pursuant to paragraph one of subdivision (g) of section 81.07 of this article.

3. When the court is satisfied that the interest of the incapacitated person or person alleged to be incapacitated would be appropriately served, the court may provide in a temporary restraining order that such temporary restraining order shall have the effect of:

(i) a restraining notice when served in a manner and upon such persons as the court in its discretion shall deem appropriate;

(ii) conferring information subpoena power upon the attorney for the petitioner when the court in its discretion shall deem appropriate.

4. Where such a temporary restraining order provides for a restraining notice a person having custody or control over the person or property of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated is forbidden to make or suffer any sale, assignment, transfer or interference with any property of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated except pursuant to the order of the court.

5. Where such a temporary restraining order provides the petitioner's attorney with information subpoena power, service of a copy of the order together with an information subpoena shall require any person so subpoenaed to provide petitioner's attorney with any information concerning the financial affairs of the incapacitated person or the person alleged to be incapacitated.


Last modified: February 3, 2019