conservatorship

[ kuhn-sur-vuh-ter-ship ]

noun

1. the position of being a conservator, especially a person who repairs, restores, or maintains the condition of objects in a museum, library, etc.:

   The program will give participants an opportunity to get a feel for the level of precision and care necessary for a career in museum conservatorship.

2. Law. an agreement or order under which one person or entity controls the personal and financial affairs of another, such as a minor or someone who is considered legally incapable of managing their own affairs:

   She's under a court-approved conservatorship that oversees every significant purchase and every key decision that she wants to make.

3. Law. an agreement whereby a business or financial entity is placed under the control of another entity, usually temporarily and often as a result of prior or impending failure:

   This week, a bipartisan coalition in the legislature is demanding that the agency’s leaders be replaced and the agency be put under an independent conservatorship.

Word History and Origins

Origin of conservatorship¹

conservator ( def ) + -ship ( def )

Example Sentences

A conservatorship is typically granted by a court for individuals who are unable to make their own decisions, like those with dementia or other mental illnesses.

From BBC

Oher alleges the Tuohys tricked him into signing a conservatorship when he was 19, claiming it was the same as adoption.

From Los Angeles Times

“People who fail to comply with court-ordered treatment can be fast-tracked to conservatorships” that have been “particularly threatening to unhoused people, who are continually being policed and are likely to be a major target.”

From Los Angeles Times

But the mental decline that recently led to his loved ones establishing a court conservatorship for him left his contributions limited.

From Seattle Times

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys was put under a conservatorship Thursday in Los Angeles following the January death of his caregiver wife, Melinda Wilson.

From Los Angeles Times