TITLE 12

Decedents’ Estates and Fiduciary Relations

Fiduciary Relations

CHAPTER 39. Guardianship

Subchapter III. Accounting and Settlement

§ 3941. Guardian’s duty to account.

(a) A guardian of the property shall fully account, in accordance with this subchapter, for all the money, effects and property of the person with a disability which the guardian has received, but a guardian of the person shall have no duty to account or otherwise report to the Court, except as provided by order of the Court.

(b) The personal representative of a guardian who dies in office shall, upon appointment as personal representative, advise the Court of Chancery and the next of kin of the person with a disability of the death of the guardian and thereafter assume the duties of the guardian until a successor guardian is appointed. The personal representative shall file a petition for the appointment of an appropriate successor guardian within 60 days of being appointed personal representative if no other interested party has filed such a petition. The personal representative shall render to the Court an account of the decedent’s guardianship (including such period of time the personal representative performed the duties of the guardian prior to appointment of a successor guardian) within 3 months of the grant of letters testamentary or letters of administration.

Code 1852, §  1496;  21 Del. Laws, c. 293, §§  1-3;  Code 1915, §  3092;  Code 1935, §  3582;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3941;  69 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2;  70 Del Laws, c. 186,, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 179, §  108

§ 3942. Filing, adjusting and settling guardian’s accounts.

All guardians’ accounts shall be filed with and be adjusted and settled by the Court of Chancery by which such guardians were appointed.

22 Del. Laws, c. 444, §  1;  Code 1915, §  3091;  Code 1935, §  3581;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3942;  57 Del. Laws, c. 402, §  369 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2

§ 3943. Time of filing guardian’s accounts.

Every guardian of the property shall render an account of the guardianship at the end of 1 year from the guardian’s appointment and afterwards as the Court of Chancery in which such guardian was appointed requires, but not more often than once in 2 years, unless there is a special occasion.

Code 1852, §  1495;  21 Del. Laws, c. 293, §§  1-3;  Code 1915, §  3092;  Code 1935, §  3582;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3943;  57 Del. Laws, c. 402, §  369 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2;  70 Del Laws, c. 186,, §  1; 

§ 3944. Failure to file account; extension of time for filing.

(a) The Court may excuse the filing of an account or accounts required under § 3941 of this title for cause shown or if waived by:

(1) If the person with a disability has a will, all of those persons who would be entitled to the residue of the estate of the person with a disability if the person with a disability died at the time any such accounting would otherwise be required or was required to be filed; or

(2) If the person with a disability has no will, all of those persons who would be entitled to the real and personal property of the person with a disability if the person with a disability died at the time any such accounting would otherwise be required or was required to be filed, intestate and a resident of the State.

The Court may also, for cause shown, extend the time for the guardian to file an account or accounts. If no account is required of the guardian pursuant to this subsection, no inventory of the guardianship estate need be filed by the guardian.

(b) If a guardian fails to account when due, the Court shall cite such guardian therefore and may compel the filing of the account by process of attachment or by imprisonment.

Code 1852, §§  1497, 1498;  21 Del. Laws, c. 293, §§  1-3;  Code 1915, §  3092;  Code 1935, §  3582;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3944;  69 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2;  70 Del Laws, c. 186,, §  1;  76 Del. Laws, c. 90, §  1678 Del. Laws, c. 179, §  109

§ 3945. Appeals from orders adjusting and settling guardian’s accounts.

Appeals from orders of the Court of Chancery adjusting or settling guardian’s accounts shall be received, heard and determined by the Supreme Court.

22 Del. Laws, c. 441, §  4;  Code 1915, §  3095;  Code 1935, §  3585;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3945;  57 Del. Laws, c. 402, §  369 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2

§ 3946. Settlement with ward at termination of guardianship.

The Court of Chancery may order that any property in the guardian’s possession, as such, at the close of the guardianship, shall be delivered to the former person with a disability or the representatives of the person with a disability and enforce obedience to such order.

Code 1852, §  1975;  Code 1915, §  3924;  Code 1935, §  4432;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3946;  57 Del. Laws, c. 402, §  369 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2;  70 Del Laws, c. 186,, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 179, §§  110-112

§ 3947. Absence of person with a disability from State; settlement of account.

(a) If in any case a guardian of the property shall not be able to settle with and pay to the person with a disability, on the termination of the guardianship, the money due from the guardian to the person with a disability, in consequence of the absence of the person with a disability from this State and the place of residence of the person with a disability being unknown to the guardian, the guardian may settle and pay the money into the Court of Chancery for the county in which the guardian was appointed.

(b) The Court in which such settlement and payment shall be made shall invest the money for the use and benefit of the person with a disability.

(c) Upon payment of the money into Court the guardian and the guardian’s surety or sureties shall be discharged from all liability for or on account of the money so paid into Court and of any interest thereon from the date of the payment into Court.

11 Del. Laws, c. 200, §  1;  Code 1915, §  3927;  Code 1935, §  4434;  12 Del. C. 1953, §  3947;  57 Del. Laws, c. 402, §  369 Del. Laws, c. 109, §  2;  70 Del Laws, c. 186,, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 179, §  113