Conservatorship of the Estate of You Wei Dong
The court held that, while the trial court properly approved CSC Fiduciaries' settlement of the personal-injury claim, it erred in refusing to consider the appellant's claim for reasonable guardian-ad litem reimbursement and therefore remanded the matter for the trial court to determine the appropriate fees and expenses.
Date Filed: August 15, 2025
Case Name: Conservatorship of the Estate of You Wei Dong
Case Number: A169579
Court: California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division Three
The Court holds that a guardian ad litem who is appointed under Code of Civil Procedure § 372 may seek reimbursement of reasonable expenses from a settlement fund under Probate Code §§ 3600 and 3601, and that the trial court erred by refusing to consider such a claim. Accordingly, the appellate court reverses the dismissal and remands for the trial court to determine the amount of Yen’s allowable GAL fees and expenses while affirming the remainder of the settlement order. This decision clarifies that probate‑code reimbursement provisions apply to GALs in personal‑injury compromises, ensuring that conservators and GALs can recover incurred costs from settlement proceeds.
This case summary was prepared for educational purposes. For the authoritative version, please refer to the full opinion or the official California Courts website.