Managing Arizona Property Under an Out-of-State Order
When a conservator appointed in another state needs to manage property located in Arizona, this statute provides a direct path. Rather than petitioning for a brand-new conservatorship, the conservator can register the existing order in Arizona and gain authority to act here.
If a conservator has been appointed in another state and a petition for a protective order is not pending in this state, the conservator appointed in the other state, after giving notice to the appointing court of an intent to register, may register the protective order in this state by filing as a foreign judgment in a court of this state, in any county in which property belonging to the protected person is located, certified copies of the order, the letters of office and of any then current bond required by the appointing court.
A.R.S. § 14-12402The filing must be made in the county where the protected person's property sits. This makes sense: local courts handle local property matters, and the county where assets are located is the natural venue.
What Makes This Different From Guardianship Registration
Conservatorship registration has one additional requirement compared to guardianship registration. The conservator must also file a certified copy of any bond currently required by the appointing court. Because conservatorships involve managing financial assets, the bond provides a layer of protection for the person whose property is being managed.
Like guardianship registration, this option is only available when no protective order petition is already pending in Arizona. If a competing petition exists, the conservator must work through that proceeding instead.