2014 Delaware Code
Title 12 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
CHAPTER 49A. DURABLE PERSONAL POWERS OF ATTORNEY ACT
Subchapter I General Provisions
§ 49A-111. Concurrent agents, joint agents, and successor agents

(a) A principal may designate 2 or more persons to act as concurrent agents. Each concurrent agent may exercise its authority independently.

(b) A principal may designate 2 or more persons to act as joint agents. No joint agent shall have the power to act without the agreement of all other joint agents and shall have no power to act independent of the other agent.

(c) If the principal designates more than 1 agent and does not specify that they are concurrent agents or joint agents, such agents shall be considered concurrent agents.

(d) A principal may designate one or more successor agents to act if an agent resigns, dies, becomes incapacitated, is not qualified to serve, or declines to serve. Unless the personal power of attorney otherwise provides, a successor agent:

(1) Has the same authority as that granted to the original agent; and

(2) May not act until all predecessor agents have resigned, died, become incapacitated, are no longer qualified to serve, or have declined to serve.

(e) A principal may give an appointed agent or another person designated by name, office or function the authority to designate by a writing executed by such person, 1 or more concurrent, joint, or successor agents in addition to those designated in the personal power of attorney. Unless the personal power of attorney authorizing the appointment of such further agents otherwise provides, a concurrent, joint, or successor agent appointed by this method:

(1) Has the same authority as that granted to the original agent; and

(2) May not act until the predecessor designee has resigned, died, become incapacitated, is no longer qualified to serve, or has declined to serve.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in the personal power of attorney and subsection (g) of this section, an acting agent that does not participate in or conceal a breach of fiduciary duty committed by another agent, including a predecessor agent, is not liable for the actions of the other agent.

(g) An acting agent that has actual knowledge of a breach or imminent breach of fiduciary duty by another agent shall notify the principal and, if the principal is incapacitated, take any action reasonably appropriate in the circumstances to safeguard the principal's best interest. An agent that fails to notify the principal or take action as required by this subsection is liable for the reasonably foreseeable damages that could have been avoided if the agent had notified the principal or taken such action.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4.;

§ 49A-112 Reimbursement and compensation of agent.

(a) An agent is entitled to reimbursement of expenses reasonably incurred on behalf of the principal.

(b) An agent shall not be entitled to compensation unless:

(1) The personal power of attorney so provides; and

(2) The compensation is reasonable under the circumstances.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4.;

§ 49A-113 Agent's acceptance.

Except as otherwise provided in the personal power of attorney, a person accepts appointment as an agent under a personal power of attorney by signing the agent's certification (pursuant to § 49A-105(c) of this title) or by exercising authority or performing duties as an agent or by any other assertion or conduct indicating acceptance.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4.;

§ 49A-114 Agent's duties.

(a) Notwithstanding provisions in the personal power of attorney, an agent that has accepted appointment pursuant to a personal power of attorney shall, in connection with exercising the authority granted to such agent therein:

(1) Act in accordance with the principal's reasonable expectations to the extent actually known by the agent and, otherwise, in the principal's best interest;

(2) Act in good faith;

(3) Act only within the scope of authority granted in the personal power of attorney; and

(4) To the extent reasonably practicable under the circumstances, keep in regular contact with the principal and communicate with the principal.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in the personal power of attorney, an agent that has accepted appointment shall:

(1) Act loyally for the principal's benefit;

(2) Act so as not to create a conflict of interest that impairs the agent's ability to act impartially in the principal's best interest;

(3) Act with the care, competence, and diligence ordinarily exercised by agents in similar circumstances;

(4) Keep a record of all receipts, disbursements, and transactions made on behalf of the principal;

(5) Cooperate with a person that has authority to make health-care decisions for the principal to carry out the principal's reasonable expectations to the extent actually known by the agent and, if not known, to act in the principal's best interest; and

(6) Not act in a manner inconsistent with the principal's testamentary plan.

(c) An agent that acts in good faith is not liable to any beneficiary of the principal's testamentary plan for failure to act in a manner consistent with the testamentary plan.

(d) An agent that acts with care, competence, and diligence for the best interest of the principal is not liable solely because the agent also benefits from the act or has an individual or conflicting interest in relation to the property or affairs of the principal.

(e) If an agent has special skills or expertise the special skills or expertise must be considered in determining whether the agent has acted with care, competence, and diligence under the circumstances.

(f) An agent that engages another person on behalf of the principal is not liable for an act, error of judgment, or default of that person if the agent exercises care, competence, and diligence in selecting and monitoring the person.

(g) Except as otherwise provided in the personal power of attorney and by § 49A-108(b) of this title, an agent is not required to disclose receipts, disbursements, or transactions conducted on behalf of the principal unless ordered by a court or requested by the principal, a guardian, a conservator, another fiduciary acting for the principal, a governmental agency having authority to protect the welfare of the principal, or, upon the death of the principal, by the personal representative or successor in interest of the principal's estate. If so requested the agent shall comply with the request within a reasonable period of time.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4.;

§ 49A-115 Exoneration of agent.

A provision in a personal power of attorney relieving an agent of liability for breach of duty is binding on the principal and the principal's successors in interest except to the extent the provision:

(1) Relieves the agent of liability for breach of duty committed in bad faith or with reckless indifference to the purposes of the personal power of attorney or the best interest of the principal; or

(2) Was inserted as a result of undue influence upon the principal.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4.;

§ 49A-116 Judicial relief.

(a) A person designated in subsection (b) of this section may petition the Court of Chancery requesting that the Court:

(1) Determine whether the personal power of attorney or the authority of an agent is in effect or has terminated pursuant to § 49A-110 of this title or otherwise;

(2) Compel the agent to exercise or refrain from exercising authority in a particular manner or for a particular purpose;

(3) Compel the agent to account for transactions conducted on the principal's behalf pursuant to § 49A-114(g) of this title;

(4) Modify, suspend, or revoke the powers of the agent to act under a personal power of attorney, and, if the principal has not designated another agent or successor agent in the personal power of attorney, appoint another agent to act in place of the agent whose powers are modified, suspended, or revoked;

(5) Determine an agent's liability for violation of his or her duties pursuant to § 49A-114 of this title; or

(6) Compel a person to accept a personal power of attorney if required to by § 49A-120 of this title.

(b) Any of the following persons may file a petition seeking appropriate relief under this section:

(1) The principal or the agent;

(2) The spouse, child, or parent of the principal;

(2) A guardian, trustee, or other fiduciary acting for the principal;

(3) The personal representative, trustee, or a beneficiary of the principal's estate;

(4) Any other interested person, as long as the person demonstrates to the Court's satisfaction that the person is interested in the welfare of the principal and has a good faith belief that:

a. The Court's intervention is necessary; and

b. The principal is incapacitated at the time of filing the petition or otherwise unable to protect that principal's own interests; or

(5) A person asked to accept a personal power of attorney.

(c) Upon motion by the principal, who shall be presumed to have legal capacity, the Court shall dismiss a petition filed under this section, unless the Court finds that the principal lacks capacity to revoke the agent's authority or the personal power of attorney.

(d) Nothing in this section shall preclude or diminish the Court's authority to appoint a guardian or other fiduciary pursuant to Chapter 39 of this title, or to order other judicial relief, in order to grant appropriate relief upon review of a personal power of attorney or an agent's conduct with respect to a personal power of attorney.

(e) Nothing in this section shall preclude the Department of Health and Social Services, the Public Guardian, or other governmental agency having authority to protect the welfare of the principal from petitioning the Court for access to the principal or to records necessary to determine, or terminate, possible abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment of the principal.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 78 Del. Laws, c. 369, § 4.;

§ 49A-117 [Reserved.]

§ 49A-118 Agent's resignation; notice.

Unless the personal power of attorney provides a different method for an agent's resignation, an agent may resign by giving written notice to the principal and, if the principal is incapacitated:

(1) To the guardian, if one has been appointed for the principal, and a concurrent agent or successor agent; or

(2) If there is no person described in paragraph (1) of this section, to:

a. The principal's primary caregiver;

b. Another person reasonably believed by the agent to have sufficient interest in the principal's welfare; or

c. A governmental agency having authority to protect the welfare of the principal.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4; 78 Del. Laws, c. 369, § 5.;

§ 49A-119 Acceptance of and reliance upon acknowledged personal power of attorney.

(a) For purposes of this section and § 49A-120 of this title, "acknowledged'' means purportedly verified before a notarial officer.

(b) A person that in good faith accepts an acknowledged personal power of attorney without actual knowledge that the signature is not genuine may rely upon a presumption that the signature is genuine.

(c) A person that in good faith accepts an acknowledged personal power of attorney without actual knowledge that the personal power of attorney is void, invalid, or terminated, that the purported agent's authority is void, invalid, or terminated, or that the agent is exceeding or improperly exercising the agent's authority may rely upon the personal power of attorney as if the personal power of attorney were genuine, valid and still in effect, the agent's authority were genuine, valid and still in effect, and the agent had not exceeded and had properly exercised the authority.

(d) A person that is asked to accept an acknowledged personal power of attorney may request, and rely upon, without further investigation, an English translation, under oath of the translator, of the personal power of attorney if it contains, in whole or in part, language other than English.

(e) For purposes of this section and § 49A-120 of this title, a person that conducts activities through employees is without actual knowledge of a fact relating to a personal power of attorney, a principal, or an agent if the employee conducting the transaction involving the personal power of attorney is without actual knowledge of the fact. Notification of revocation of a personal power of attorney by a principal or agent to an officer of a bank or other financial institution shall constitute actual notice to all employees.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4; 78 Del. Laws, c. 369, §§ 6, 7.;

§ 49A-120 Liability for refusal to accept acknowledged personal power of attorney.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section:

(1) A person shall accept an acknowledged personal power of attorney that is originally written in English or is translated into English, under oath of the translator;

(2) A person may not require an additional or different form of personal power of attorney for authority granted in the personal power of attorney presented; and

(3) A person may not refuse to accept an acknowledged personal power of attorney solely upon the basis that the form of such acknowledged personal power of attorney varies from the form set forth in § 49A-301 of this title.

(b) A person is not required to accept an acknowledged personal power of attorney if:

(1) The person is not otherwise required to engage in a transaction with the principal in the same circumstances;

(2) Engaging in a transaction with the agent or the principal in the same circumstances would be inconsistent with state or federal law;

(3) The person has actual knowledge of the termination of the agent's authority or of the personal power of attorney before exercise of the power;

(4) The person has actual knowledge that the personal power of attorney has been terminated or revoked, or is void or invalid, or that the agent does not have the authority to perform the act requested; or

(5) The person promptly makes, has made, or has actual knowledge that another person has made, a report to the appropriate law-enforcement or social service agency stating a good faith belief that the principal may be subject to physical or financial abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment by the agent or a person acting for or with the agent.

(c) A person that refuses in violation of this section to accept an acknowledged personal power of attorney is subject to:

(1) A court order compelling acceptance of the personal power of attorney; and

(2) Liability for damages, including reasonable attorney's fees and costs, incurred in any action or proceeding that confirms the validity of the personal power of attorney or authority of the agent to act, or compels acceptance of the personal power of attorney.

77 Del. Laws, c. 467, § 4; 78 Del. Laws, c. 369, § 8; 79 Del. Laws, c. 152, § 1.;