Rule 9.020 Approval of Bonds

Here's a plain English summary of this rule.

When someone asks the court to approve a surety bond that is smaller than the total value of the estate's property, they need to explain why. This means a guardian, conservator, personal representative, or their attorney must sign a sworn statement (called an affidavit) explaining the request. This statement can either be filed on its own or included as part of the original petition asking the court to appoint that person to their role.

If a lower bond amount is requested later on, after the initial appointment, the process is a bit different. The person must file a formal motion along with a supporting affidavit, or they can make the request as part of a regular accounting they submit to the court. Either way, the paperwork given to the judge (the proposed order) needs to clearly state what the new bond amount will be.

In short, this rule makes sure that whenever someone wants a bond that's less than the full value of the estate, they put their reasons in writing and get the court to formally approve the specific change.