NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that in a judicial proceeding to terminate a guardianship, to restore certain legal rights to a person who has been adjudicated to be incapacitated or partly incapacitated, or to further limit or revoke any retained legal rights of a person adjudicated to be partly incapacitated, an incapacitated person should have the same due process and procedural rights as an alleged incapacitated person would have in an initial guardianship proceeding.

(1) At any time after establishment of a guardianship or appointment of a guardian, the court may, upon the death of the guardian or limited guardian, or, for other good reason, modify or terminate the guardianship or replace the guardian or limited guardian.

(2) Any person, including an incapacitated person, may apply to the court for an order to modify or terminate a guardianship or to replace a guardian or limited guardian. If applicants are represented by counsel, counsel shall move for an order to show cause why the relief requested should not be granted. If applicants are not represented by counsel, they may move for an order to show cause, or they may deliver a written request to the clerk of the court.

(3) By the next judicial day after receipt of an unrepresented person's request to modify or terminate a guardianship order, or to replace a guardian or limited guardian, the clerk shall deliver the request to the court. The court may (a) direct the clerk to schedule a hearing, (b) appoint a guardian ad litem to investigate the issues raised by the application or to take any emergency action the court deems necessary to protect the incapacitated person until a hearing can be held, or (c) deny the application without scheduling a hearing, if it appears based on documents in the court file that the application is frivolous. Any denial of an application without a hearing shall be in writing with the reasons for the denial explained. A copy of the order shall be mailed by the clerk to the applicant, to the guardian, and to any other person entitled to receive notice of proceedings in the matter. Unless within thirty days after receiving the request from the clerk the court directs otherwise, the clerk shall schedule a hearing on the request and mail notice to the guardian, the incapacitated person, the applicant, all counsel of record, and any other person entitled to receive notice of proceedings in the matter.

(4) In a hearing on an application to modify or terminate a guardianship, or to replace a guardian or limited guardian, the court may grant such relief as it deems just and in the best interest of the incapacitated person. For a hearing on an application to terminate a guardianship or to modify the legal rights of a fully or partly incapacitated person, that person has the same due process and procedural rights that an alleged incapacitated person is afforded in an initial guardianship proceeding.

(5) The court may order persons who have been removed as guardians to deliver any property or records belonging to the incapacitated person in accordance with the court's order. Similarly, when guardians have died or been removed and property or records of an incapacitated person are being held by any other person, the court may order that person to deliver it in accordance with the court's order. Disobedience of an order to deliver shall be punishable as contempt of court.


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session