Jay Leno files for conservatorship over wife due to her worsening dementia

Comedian and TV personality Jay Leno filed court documents on Friday, seeking to become conservator over his wife Mavis — who he’s been married to since 1980 — stating that her worsening dementia diagnosis has led to her no longer being capable of handling her own affairs.

According to several outlets, including The Los Angeles Times, Leno has taken the matter before a family court judge in an effort to create a living trust and other estate plans to ensure that his 77-year-old wife has “managed assets sufficient to provide for her care” in the event that he passes away before her.    

“Unfortunately, Mavis has been progressively losing capacity and orientation to space and time for several years,” the petition details. “Jay is fully capable of continuing support for Mavis’s physical and financial needs, as he has throughout their marriage,” furthering that Mrs. Leno “does not contest the establishment of a conservatorship and does not prefer another person to act as conservator.”

As The Los Angeles Times furthers, “It was unclear when Mavis Leno was first diagnosed with the disease, but a doctor’s report from November, filed as part of the court proceedings, said she suffered with impairments to her memory, ability to concentrate and use of reason.”