Richards v. Richards

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Foth, C.:

The issue in this case is whether the state department of social welfare may recover from the estate of a conservatee the cost of his maintenance, care and treatment while confined in the state security hospital at Lamed pursuant to a commitment issued by a district court when he was found incompetent to stand trial on a pending criminal charge.

The conservatee, James B. Richards, was found incompetent to stand trial and committed under former K. S. A. 62-1531 for “safekeeping and treatment” until he was able to stand trial. He remained at the…