A.R.S. § 14-1105: Fees From Unreasonable Conduct

14-1105. Remedies for unreasonable conduct; definitions

A. If the court finds that a decedent's estate or trust has incurred professional fees or expenses as a result of unreasonable conduct, the court may order the person who engaged in the conduct or the person's attorney, or both, to pay the decedent's estate or trust for some or all of the fees and expenses as the court deems just under the circumstances.

B. In a guardianship or conservatorship case, if the court finds that a ward or protected person has incurred professional fees or expenses as a result of unreasonable conduct, the court may order the person who engaged in the conduct or the person's attorney, or both, to pay the ward or protected person for some or all of the fees and expenses as the court deems just under the circumstances.

C. The remedies allowed pursuant to this section are in addition to any other civil remedy or any other provision of law. The remedies allowed pursuant to this section may be invoked to mitigate the financial burden on a ward, protected person, decedent's estate or trust incurred as a result of unjustified court proceedings or unreasonable or excessive demands made on a fiduciary, fiduciary's attorney, court-appointed attorney, guardian ad litem or representative.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Court-appointed attorney" means an attorney appointed pursuant to section 14-5303, subsection C, section 14-5310, subsection C, section 14-5401.01, subsection C or section 14-5407, subsection B.

2. "Fiduciary" means an agent under a durable power of attorney, an agent under a health care power of attorney, a guardian, a conservator, a personal representative, a trustee or a guardian ad litem.

3. "Person who engaged in the conduct" includes a fiduciary, an attorney or a guardian ad litem.

4. "Professional" means an accountant, an attorney, a fiduciary, a physician, a psychologist, a registered nurse, a guardian ad litem or an expert witness.

5. "Professional fees or expenses" includes the fiduciary's fees and expenses and the fiduciary's attorney fees and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of any other professionals hired by the fiduciary or the fiduciary's attorney.