A. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection C of this section, the court shall require a conservator to furnish a bond with a surety the court specifies, or require an alternative asset-protection arrangement, conditioned on faithful discharge of all duties of the conservator. The court may waive the requirement only if the court finds that a bond or other asset-protection arrangement is not necessary to protect the interests of the individual subject to conservatorship. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection C of this section, the court shall not waive the requirement if the conservator is in the business of serving as a conservator and is being paid for the conservator's service.

B. Unless the court directs otherwise, the bond required under this section shall be in the amount of the aggregate capital value of the conservatorship estate, plus one year's estimated income, less the value of property deposited under an arrangement requiring a court order for its removal and real property the conservator lacks power to sell or convey without specific court authorization. The court, in place of surety on a bond, may accept collateral for the performance of the bond, including a pledge of securities or a mortgage of real property.

C. A financial institution that possesses and is exercising general trust powers in New Mexico is not required to give a bond under this section. As used in this subsection, "financial institution" means a state- or federally chartered, federally insured depository bank or trust company.

D. The following rules apply to the bond required under this section:

(1) except as otherwise provided by the bond, the surety and the conservator are jointly and severally liable;

(2) by executing a bond provided by a conservator, the surety submits to the personal jurisdiction of the court that issued letters of conservatorship in a proceeding relating to the duties of the conservator in which the surety is named as a party. Notice of the proceeding shall be given to the surety;

(3) on petition of a successor conservator or person affected by a breach of the obligation of the bond, a proceeding may be brought against the surety for breach of the obligation of the bond; and

(4) a proceeding against the bond may be brought until liability under the bond is exhausted.

E. If a bond under this section is not renewed by the conservator, the surety or sureties immediately shall give notice to the court and the protected person subject to conservatorship.

History: 1953 Comp., § 32A-5-411, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 257, § 5-411; 2018, ch. 10, § 14.

The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2018, revised the terms and requirements of bonds that may be ordered by the courts, and provided an exception for financial institutions that possess and are exercising general trust powers in New Mexico; and deleted former Subsections A and B, and added new Subsections A through E.

Applicability. — Laws 2018, ch. 10, § 16 provided that the provisions of Laws 2018, ch. 10, §§ 1 through 14 apply to:

A. a proceeding for appointment of a guardian or conservator or for a protective arrangement instead of guardianship or conservatorship commenced on or after July 1, 2018; and

B. a guardianship, conservatorship or protective arrangement instead of guardianship or conservatorship in existence on June 30, 2018 unless the court finds application of a particular provision of this act would substantially interfere with the effective conduct of the proceeding or prejudice the rights of a party, in which case the particular provision of this act does not apply and the superseded law applies.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 14 C.J.S. Chemical Dependents § 4; 39 C.J.S. Guardian and Ward § 31; 49 C.J.S. Insane Persons § 44.