Jay Leno files for conservatorship of his wife's estate; petition says ...

Jay Leno filed for a conservatorship of his wife’s estate on Friday at Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles.

According to court documents obtained by NBC News, Leno’s wife, Mavis Leno, suffers from dementia, and because of that is unable to execute an estate plan.

“Unfortunately, Mavis has been progressively losing capacity and orientation to space and time for several years,” the petition for the conservatorship states.

The petition seeks the court’s approval for substituted judgment to approve estate planning and implement a testamentary plan that Leno believes his wife would execute if she were capable.

“As Mavis’s current condition renders her incapable of executing the estate plan,” the petition states, “Jay has petitioned the Court to be appointed conservator of Mavis’s estate for the sole purpose of filing a petition for substituted judgment on her behalf in order to ensure her desires concerning the disposition of her assets upon her death are realized.”

The petition states that the couple have been together more than 43 years, and that throughout that time Leno has always handled the couple’s finances. They do not have any children.

The court documents state that Leno believes his wife consents to the conservatorship of her estate, and that she would not prefer anyone else to be appointed conservator in his stead.

There will be another hearing on the matter April 9.

Mike Gagliardi

Mike Gagliardi is a researcher with the NBC News Network Desk.