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The 56th Arizona Legislature is in Session. Uh-oh!

56th Arizona legislature

Here at Fleming & Curti, PLC, we’ve tried to keep track of what the 2023 Arizona legislature is up to. We monitor bills that affect our clients and the folks we advocate for, and in past years we’ve occasionally even travelled to Phoenix to testify. This year has been mostly pretty quiet — for us. […]

Think Twice Before Messing With Mom

A recent Arizona Court of Appeals decision has an important lesson: Think twice before messing with Mom. She might fight back, and she might win.  In Re Lindquist centers on Arizona’s vulnerable adult exploitation statute (A.R.S. § 46-456). But the more general message is one we’ve noted before: If you are a child trying to “help” […]

Britney Wants Dad Out of Her Business–Now

Get out of her business

While the country was anxiously awaiting election results, Britney Spears was trying to get her life back. The pop star, 38, wants her dad and conservator out of her business. Now. Her situation illustrates some of the challenges with arrangements to protect people from themselves. Especially while they have capacity to make decisions. You probably […]

Valid Power of Attorney May Avoid Guardianship

Valid power of attorney

Does every incapacitated person qualify to have a guardian appointed? Not necessarily. A valid power of attorney may finesse the need for appointment of a guardian of the person OR a conservator of the estate. Let’s look at a recent case from the courts here in Tucson. George and Suzanne get married Actually, the marriage […]

Guardian May Charge Fees, Even if Family

Guardian may charge fees

A guardian may charge fees for acting as guardian. That basic principle is not really surprising or disputable. But the notion persists that this important work should not cost, or at least be inexpensive. We have written about guardianship fees before. The subject comes back up because of a recent Florida Court of Appeals decision […]

Adult Guardianship Jurisdiction — Where to File

Adult guardianship jurisdiction

Families — and practitioners — frequently face a problem associated with our mobile society. After a family member moves across state lines, in which state should any court actions be filed? In other words, who has jurisdiction over adult guardianship proceedings? Wait — isn’t there a law on that? We’ve written before about the Uniform […]

Guardianship Judge May Deviate from Divorce Court Custody Order

Divorce court custody order

In a divorce proceeding, the court determines who should have custody (and decision-making authority) over any minor children. When a child subject to such an order reaches majority, the court order usually expires. But when the now-adult child has a disability, either or both parents may seek appointment as guardian. Does the divorce court custody […]

Court Investigator Required Before Appointment of Guardian

Court investigator

Non-lawyers often assume that courts regularly appoint guardians from a list of people or agencies they have dealt with before. In fact, the people involved almost always choose the guardian, rather than the judge herself. Many states (including Arizona) do have a method for vetting a potential guardian, though. The role may be named something […]

Due Process in Guardianship Proceeding

Due process in Texas

It’s easy to observe that the subject of a guardianship (or conservatorship) petition has a right to “due process” during the court process. But what does that mean? Does it include anything a judge orders? Does it require a court hearing? How will you know if you have been afforded due process before a guardianship […]

Alternatives to Guardianship and Conservatorship

Alternatives to guardianship

  Imagine that the adult care home where your uncle Bill resides has told you that you need to get a guardianship. What does that mean, and what do you have to do? Are there alternatives to guardianship? Guardianship means court involvement When you visit a lawyer to “get” guardianship, you should know that it […]

Robert B. Fleming

Attorney

Robert Fleming is a Fellow of both the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He has been certified as a Specialist in Estate and Trust Law by the State Bar of Arizona‘s Board of Legal Specialization, and he is also a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Robert has a long history of involvement in local, state and national organizations. He is most proud of his instrumental involvement in the Special Needs Alliance, the premier national organization for lawyers dealing with special needs trusts and planning.

Robert has two adult children, two young grandchildren and a wife of over fifty years. He is devoted to all of them. He is also very fond of Rosalind Franklin (his office companion corgi), and his homebound cat Muninn. He just likes people, their pets and their stories.

Elizabeth N.R. Friman

Attorney

Elizabeth Noble Rollings Friman is a principal and licensed fiduciary at Fleming & Curti, PLC. Elizabeth enjoys estate planning and helping families navigate trust and probate administrations. She is passionate about the fiduciary work that she performs as a trustee, personal representative, guardian, and conservator. Elizabeth works with CPAs, financial professionals, case managers, and medical providers to tailor solutions to complex family challenges. Elizabeth is often called upon to serve as a neutral party so that families can avoid protracted legal conflict. Elizabeth relies on the expertise of her team at Fleming & Curti, and as the Firm approaches its third decade, she is proud of the culture of care and consideration that the Firm embodies. Finding workable solutions to sensitive and complex family challenges is something that Elizabeth and the Fleming & Curti team do well.

Amy F. Matheson

Attorney

Amy Farrell Matheson has worked as an attorney at Fleming & Curti since 2006. A member of the Southern Arizona Estate Planning Council, she is primarily responsible for estate planning and probate matters.

Amy graduated from Wellesley College with a double major in political science and English. She is an honors graduate of Suffolk University Law School and has been admitted to practice in Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Prior to joining Fleming & Curti, Amy worked for American Public Television in Boston, and with the international trade group at White & Case, LLP, in Washington, D.C.

Amy’s husband, Tom, is an astronomer at NOIRLab and the Head of Time Domain Services, whose main project is ANTARES. Sadly, this does not involve actual time travel. Amy’s twin daughters are high school students; Finn, her Irish Red and White Setter, remains a puppy at heart.

Famous people's wills

Matthew M. Mansour

Attorney

Matthew is a law clerk who recently earned his law degree from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. His undergraduate degree is in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Matthew has had a passion for advocacy in the Tucson community since his time as a law student representative in the Workers’ Rights Clinic. He also has worked in both the Pima County Attorney’s Office and the Pima County Public Defender’s Office. He enjoys playing basketball, caring for his cat, and listening to audiobooks narrated by the authors.