Brian Wilson Placed Under Conservatorship Due To Dementia

Highlights

A petition for Brian Wilson's conservatorship was granted due to his major neurocognitive disorder and need for assistance in personal matters.
His daughters requested stipulations like a group text chain about his health and all being consulted on medical decisions.
Wilson consented to the conservatorship, showing trust in his daughters and the agencies involved in his structured supervision.

Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson was placed under a conservatorship on May 9th, after his children petitioned a Los Angeles court.

Celebrity conservatorships have been in the news in recent years, after a controversial conservatorship involving Britney Spears became a cause célèbre on the internet in 2021.

In 2024, Wendy Williams' conservatorship came to light after the release of a Lifetime documentary series; the former talk show host remains under supervision.

Brian Wilson's conservatorship and cognitive fitness have also been in the news, ahead of a May 9th ruling granting the petition.

Here's what we know so far.

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What Is A Conservatorship, Anyway?

Brian Wilson, now 81, was the subject of a February 16th New York Times article, which reported that his family sought court intervention to handle his affairs.

According to the Times, Wilson's family filed the petition in Los Angeles after his wife Melinda died in January.

In that reporting, Melinda Wilson's death was cited as the cause behind the request for court intervention:

"The family of Brian Wilson, the musical architect whose genius helped power the Beach Boys, is seeking to place him under a conservatorship following the death of his wife, Melinda, [in January].

"According to documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court [in February] by lawyers representing the potential conservators, Mr. Wilson, 81, has 'a major neurocognitive disorder,' and 'is unable to properly provide for his own personal needs for physical health.'"

"Melinda Wilson had previously provided care for her husband, but following her death on Jan. 30, the appointment of a conservator has become necessary, according to the petition filed [in February]."

What Is A Conservatorship? As noted above, after Wilson's wife died, his family petitioned the court for a conservatorship, a legal and financial structure defined by Investopedia as follows:

"Conservatorship is a legal status in which a court appoints a person to manage the financial and personal affairs of a minor or incapacitated person.

"A conservator may also serve as a guardian who is responsible for establishing and monitoring the physical care of the individual and managing their living arrangements."

As the Times indicated in their February article, Brian Wilson was "on the road performing shows as recently as 2022."

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Brian Wilson's Court Ordered Conservatorship

On May 9th, myriad outlets reported on the ruling regarding Wilson's conservatorship.

Music news site Rolling Stone covered the decision, summarizing the basics:

"Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson was placed in a court-ordered conservatorship [on Thursday May 9th] that will be run by his longtime publicist and manager, Jean Sievers, and his longtime business manager, LeeAnn Hard.

"The reps revealed in a petition filed [in] February that Wilson is suffering from dementia at the age of 81.

"Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Gus T. May granted the petition after finding that Wilson is living with a 'major neurocognitive disorder' and needs the assistance as the least restrictive way to address his needs.

"The judge also added a last-minute addendum after hearing from a lawyer representing Wilson’s two eldest daughters – the Wilson Phillips musicians Carnie Wilson Bonfiglio and Wendy Wilson Knutson."

The Associated Press reported that "no significant objections" were raised during the May 9th hearing, adding that Judge May described strong indicators that Wilson would benefit from structured supervision:

"'I find from clear and convincing evidence that a conservatorship of the person is necessary,' May said at the brief hearing.

"The judge said that evidence shows that Wilson consents to the arrangement and lacks the capacity to make health care decisions."

Yahoo! Entertainment noted that Brian Wilson consented to the arrangement, and that his daughters' requested stipulations were granted by the judge:

"Two of Wilson's seven children, Carnie and Wendy Wilson from [musical] group Wilson Phillips, asked through their attorney that all the children be added to a group text chain about their father, and that all be consulted on medical decisions. The judge granted the stipulations.

"The two daughters had asked for a delay in the process at an April 30 hearing while issues were worked out, but it was clear at the hearing that consensus had been reached."

Unlike the conservatorships involving Spears and Williams, all parties involved in Wilson's largely appeared to be on the same page:

"In a report, Robert Frank Cipriano, an attorney appointed by the court to represent Wilson’s interests, said Wilson acknowledged the need for the conservatorship, and said he trusts the judgement of the two women.

"Cipriano's report to the court said he visited Wilson at his 'impeccably well maintained residence in Beverly Hills,' where he lives with two daughters and a long-term live-in caregiver."

Moreover, Brian Wilson's conservatorship pertains primarily to his medical and personal affairs only, not his finances, which are held in a trust.