AMENDED BY ACT 2026-488, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2027. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE.

1. (a) In any county where the judge of probate is required to be learned in the law, the administration or conduct of any guardianship or conservatorship of a minor or incapacitated person may be removed from the probate court to the circuit court pursuant to Section 26-2-2 at any time before a proceeding for final settlement thereof is commenced in probate court by the guardian or conservator of the guardianship or conservatorship or guardian ad litem or next friend of a ward or anyone entitled to support out of the estate of the ward without assigning any special equity. The circuit court shall remand the administration of a guardianship or conservatorship transferred pursuant to this section to the probate court if the circuit court finds that the removal was sought for the purpose of improper delay or did not comply with applicable law. The circuit court may remand the administration of a guardianship or conservatorship pursuant to this section to the probate court if the circuit court finds that any of the following apply:

   1. (1) The circuit court has issued a final order or judgment on all contested matters pending before the circuit court in the administration of the guardianship or conservatorship and the time for an appeal of the order or judgment has expired without an appeal being filed or, if an appeal was filed, after the final adjudication of the appeal.
   2. (2) All interested parties or their representatives request the administration of the guardianship or conservatorship be remanded to probate court.
2. (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall prevent the administration of a guardianship or conservatorship from being removed again to the circuit court pursuant to Section 26-2-2 after the administration has been remanded to the probate court as provided above.

(Act 2011-528, p. 864, §1.)