title: Statutory reform is associated with improved court practice: results of a tri-state comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the impact of statutory reform in adult guardianship on court practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case files for 298 cases of adult guardianship were reviewed in three states with varying degrees of statutory reform: MA (no reform), PA (major amendments in 1992), and CO (full re-enactment of statute per UGPPA in 2000). Five court practices associated with progressive statutory reform were studied: (1) diversion to less restrictive alternatives; (2) minimal and appropriate use of emergency procedures; (3) presence of the alleged incapacitated person at the hearing; (4) use of functional evaluation; (5) use of limited orders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CO more frequently utilized all five practices, whereas PA used diversion to less restrictive alternatives and less frequent emergency procedures, but not other practices. MA files rarely showed evidence for use of any of these reforms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statutory reform may improve court practice. More study of the effects of reform on court practices, and the vulnerable adults served by these courts, is needed.
authors.affiliation: VA Medical Center, Brockton, MA 02301, USA. jennifer.moye@va.gov
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moye
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Edelstein
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Jorge C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Armesto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011640:Public Policy; D012935:Social Justice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*