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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65465</law_id><section_number>64.2-2000</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-308.1:2</reference><reference>19.2-70.3</reference><reference>2.2-1839</reference><reference>24.2-232</reference><reference>24.2-410</reference><reference>32.1-127.1:03</reference><reference>32.1-309.1</reference><reference>37.2-717</reference><reference>37.2-805.1</reference><reference>46.2-400</reference><reference>51.5-149</reference><reference>51.5-149.1</reference><reference>51.5-149.2</reference><reference>54.1-2807.02</reference><reference>54.1-2818.1</reference><reference>54.1-2818.5</reference><reference>54.1-2976</reference><reference>58.1-3015</reference><reference>59.1-444.3</reference><reference>63.2-104.1</reference><reference>63.2-1608</reference><reference>63.2-1609</reference><reference>64.2-116</reference><reference>64.2-1208</reference><reference>64.2-128</reference><reference>64.2-1417</reference><reference>64.2-1426</reference><reference>64.2-1614</reference><reference>64.2-2100</reference><reference>64.2-2115</reference><reference>65.2-525</reference><reference>8.01-2</reference><reference>8.01-68</reference><reference>9.1-193</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Fiduciaries and Guardians</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="D">Guardianship of Incapacitated Persons</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="20">Guardianship and Conservatorship</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="1">Appointment</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;Advance directive&#x201D; shall have the same meaning as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/54.1-2982/">54.1-2982</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Annual report</span>&#x201D; means the report required to be filed by a guardian pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Annual reports by guardians" href="/64.2-2020/">64.2-2020</a>.
		&#x201C;Conservator&#x201D; means a person appointed by the court who is responsible for managing the <span class="dictionary">estate</span> and financial affairs of an <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span> and, where the context plainly indicates, includes a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">limited conservator</span>&#x201D; or a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">temporary conservator</span>.&#x201D; &#x201C;Conservator&#x201D; includes (i) a local or regional program designated by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services as a public conservator pursuant to Article 6 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Policy statement; Virginia Public Guardian and Conservator Program established; definitions" href="/51.5-149/">51.5-149</a> et seq.) of Chapter 14 of Title 51.5 or (ii) any local or regional tax-exempt charitable organization established pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to provide conservatorial services to <span class="dictionary">incapacitated persons</span>. Such tax-exempt charitable organization shall not be a provider of direct services to the <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span>. If a tax-exempt charitable organization has been designated by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services as a public conservator, it may also serve as a conservator for other <span class="dictionary">individuals</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Estate</span>&#x201D; includes both real and personal <span class="dictionary">property</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Facility</span>&#x201D; means a state or licensed hospital, training center, psychiatric hospital, or other type of residential or outpatient mental health or mental retardation <span class="dictionary">facility</span>. When modified by the word &#x201C;state,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">facility</span>&#x201D; means a state hospital or training center operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, including the buildings and land associated with it.
		&#x201C;Guardian&#x201D; means a person appointed by the court who has the powers and duties set out in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duties and powers of guardian" href="/64.2-2019/">64.2-2019</a>, or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Emergency order for adult protective services" href="/63.2-1609/">63.2-1609</a> if applicable, and who is responsible for the personal affairs of an <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span>, including responsibility for making decisions regarding the person&#x2019;s support, care, health, safety, habilitation, education, therapeutic treatment, and, if not inconsistent with an order of involuntary admission, residence. Where the context plainly indicates, the term includes a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">limited guardian</span>&#x201D; or a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">temporary guardian</span>.&#x201D; The term includes (i) a local or regional program designated by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services as a public guardian pursuant to Article 6 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Policy statement; Virginia Public Guardian and Conservator Program established; definitions" href="/51.5-149/">51.5-149</a> et seq.) of Chapter 14 of Title 51.5 or (ii) any local or regional tax-exempt charitable organization established pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to provide guardian services to <span class="dictionary">incapacitated persons</span>. Such tax-exempt charitable organization shall not be a provider of direct services to the <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span>. If a tax-exempt charitable organization has been designated by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services as a public guardian, it may also serve as a guardian for other <span class="dictionary">individuals</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guardian ad litem</span>&#x201D; means an attorney appointed by the court to represent the interests of the <span class="dictionary">respondent</span> and whose duties include evaluation of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for guardianship or conservatorship and filing a report with the court pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Appointment of guardian ad litem" href="/64.2-2003/">64.2-2003</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Incapacitated person</span>&#x201D; means an adult who has been found by a court to be incapable of receiving and evaluating information effectively or responding to people, events, or environments to such an extent that the individual lacks the capacity to (i) meet the essential requirements for his health, care, safety, or therapeutic needs without the assistance or protection of a guardian or (ii) manage <span class="dictionary">property</span> or financial affairs or provide for his support or for the support of his legal dependents without the assistance or protection of a conservator. A <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the individual displays poor <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> alone shall not be considered sufficient <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that the individual is an <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span> within the meaning of this definition. A <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that a person is incapacitated shall be construed as a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the person is &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">mentally incompetent</span>&#x201D; as that term is used in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia and Title 24.2 unless the <span class="dictionary">court order</span> entered pursuant to this chapter specifically provides otherwise.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Individualized education plan</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">IEP</span>&#x201D; means a plan or program developed annually to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the <span class="dictionary">law</span> and is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives specialized instruction and related services as provided by 20 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;1414.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Individual receiving services</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;individual&#x201D; means a current direct recipient of public or private mental health, developmental, or <span class="dictionary">substance abuse treatment</span>, rehabilitation, or habilitation services and includes the terms &#x201C;consumer,&#x201D; &#x201C;patient,&#x201D; &#x201C;resident,&#x201D; &#x201C;recipient,&#x201D; or &#x201C;client.&#x201D;
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Limited conservator</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by the court who has only those responsibilities for managing the <span class="dictionary">estate</span> and financial affairs of an <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span> as specified in the order of appointment.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Limited guardian</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by the court who has only those responsibilities for the personal affairs of an <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span> as specified in the order of appointment.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Mental illness</span>&#x201D; means a disorder of thought, mood, emotion, perception, or orientation that significantly impairs <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to address basic life necessities and requires care and treatment for the health, safety, or recovery of the individual or for the safety of others.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Petition</span>&#x201D; means the document filed with a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court to initiate a proceeding to appoint a guardian or conservator.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of attorney</span>&#x201D; has the same meaning ascribed to it in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/64.2-1600/">64.2-1600</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Property</span>&#x201D; includes both real and personal <span class="dictionary">property</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Respondent</span>&#x201D; means an allegedly <span class="dictionary">incapacitated person</span> for whom a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for guardianship or conservatorship has been filed.
		&#x201C;Supported decision-making agreement&#x201D; has the same meaning ascribed to it in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Powers and duties of the Department related to supported decision-making agreements; report" href="/37.2-314.3/">37.2-314.3</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Temporary conservator</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by a court for a limited duration of time as specified in the order of appointment.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Temporary guardian</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by a court for a limited duration of time as specified in the order of appointment.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Transition plan</span>&#x201D; means the plan that is required as part of the <span class="dictionary">IEP</span> used to help students and families prepare for the future after the student reaches the age of majority.</p></section></text><history>1997, c. 921, &#xA7; 37.1-134.6; 1998, cc. 582, 787; 2004, c. 858; 2005, c. 716, &#xA7; 37.2-1000; 2006, c. 724; 2012, cc. 614, 803, 835; 2020, c. 855; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 232.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
