14-5414. Compensation and expenses; definitions

A. If not otherwise compensated for services rendered, any investigator, accountant, lawyer, physician, registered nurse, psychologist or conservator who is appointed in a protective proceeding, including a lawyer of the person alleged to be in need of protection pursuant to section 14-5407, subsection B, is entitled to reasonable compensation from the estate of the protected person if the petition is granted or from the petitioner if the petition is denied.

B. If the petitioner withdraws the petition or if the court dismisses the petition because of the petitioner's failure to prosecute, the court may order that the compensation of the investigator, accountant, lawyer, physician, registered nurse, psychologist or conservator who is appointed pursuant to this article, including a lawyer of the person alleged to be in need of protection pursuant to section 14-5407, subsection B, be paid either from the protected person's estate or by the petitioner, depending on the facts and circumstances. In making these determinations, the court may consider any evidence it deems appropriate.

C. A lawyer who is employed by the conservator to represent the conservator in the conservator's appointment or duties as conservator is entitled to reasonable compensation from the estate if the petition is granted. If the petitioner withdraws the petition or if the petition is dismissed because of the petitioner's failure to prosecute, the court may order that the compensation of the proposed conservator's lawyer be paid either from the protected person's estate or by the petitioner, depending on the facts and circumstances. In determining which party shall pay, the court may consider any evidence it deems appropriate.

D. A lawyer who is employed by the petitioner to represent the petitioner in seeking the appointment of a conservator is entitled to reasonable compensation from the protected person's estate if the petition is granted.

E. If the court pays for any of these services it may charge the estate for reasonable compensation. The clerk shall deposit monies it collects in the probate fund pursuant to section 14-5433.

F. If a county pays for any of these services from general fund appropriations, the county may charge the estate for reasonable compensation. The county treasurer shall deposit monies collected pursuant to this subsection in the same fund from which the expenditure was made.

G. Compensation payable to the department of veterans' services, when acting as a conservator of the estate of a veteran or a veteran's surviving spouse or minor child or the incapacitated spouse of a protected veteran, shall not be more than five per cent of the amount of monies received during the period covered by the conservatorship. A copy of the petition and notice of hearing shall be given to the proper officer of the veterans administration in the manner provided in the case of any hearing on a guardian's account or any other pleading. A commission or compensation is not allowed on the monies or other assets received from a prior conservator or on the amount received from liquidation of loans or other investments.

H. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Conservator" includes a conservator, temporary conservator or special conservator.

2. " Petition" means a petition filed pursuant to section 14-5401.01, subsection A or section 14-5404, subsection A.

3. " Protected person" includes a person who is alleged to be in need of protection.