Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, 81, to be placed under a conservatorship after judge signs off on his family's request due to 'major neurocognitive disorder'

The Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson will have a conservatorship set up to care for his personal and medical needs, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled on Thursday.

Judge Gus T. May determined that the 81-year-old singer–songwriter required a court conservatorship, citing what his doctors described as a 'major neurocognitive disorder,' according to ABC News.

The ruling comes just under three months after Wilson's family and caregivers requested that a conservatorship be set up to care for the rock and roll icon.

According to them, he has been suffering from dementia, which was exacerbated following the January death of his wife Melinda — who had cared for many of his needs — at the age of 77.

'I find from clear and convincing evidence that a conservatorship of the person is necessary,' the judge declared at the hearing. 

The Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson, 81, will have a conservatorship set up to care for his personal and medical needs, an LA Superior Court judge ruled on Thursday, according to ABC News; seen with his late wife Melinda, who died in January at 77, in 2013

May determined that Wilson could no longer effectively make his own medical decisions, prompting the creation of the conservatorship.

However, unlike with other infamous cases of high-profile stars being put under the care of a conservatorship, the Beach Boys leader has allegedly consented to the plan.

The judge previously appointed the attorney Robert Frank Cipriano to represent Wilson's interests in court, and in a report Cipriano authored he said Wilson agreed that the conservatorship was necessary for him, and he was satisfied with the conservator picks.

May installed two of Wilson's longtime employees, his manager LeeAnn Hard and his publicist Jean Sievers, as his conservators after his family previously requested that they share that role.

There were previously concerns about potential disagreements between Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson after they requested a delay at a hearing on April 30 while they tried to come to an agreement with Hard and Sievers.

However, the sisters — who constitute two-thirds of the band Wilson Phillips — seemed to smoothed out any issues and didn't voice any objections by Thursday's hearing.

They had requested — via their attorney — that all seven of Wilson's children be notified on a text chain about any changes in their father's condition, and they requested to be consulted before any medical decisions were made for him. The judge granted their request.

Despite concerns about his increasing needs for care, Cipriano's report noted that his home — where he lives with two of his daughters and a longtime caregiver — was 'impeccably well maintained.'

Unlike other infamous high-profile conservatorship cases, Wilson reportedly consented to the arrangement; Wilson (far left) pictured with Mike Love, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson and David Marks of The Beach Boys in 1962

A report by a court-appointed attorney representing Wilson's interests said he agreed that a conservatorship was needed; pictured in 2018 in Los Angeles

Two of his longtime employees, his manager LeeAnn Hard and his publicist Jean Sievers, were appointed as his conservators. Wilson said he trusts their judgment; pictured in 2015 

Although Wilson has increasing mobility issues, he can still get around with the use of a walker and help from his caregiver.

The report also detailed significant memory issues. According to Cipriano, Wilson can no longer name five of his seven children, though he was still able to name the two daughters he has been living with.

The former hitmaker was 'mostly difficult to understand,' and he gave only 'very short responses' when spoken to. 

In February, Hard, Sievers and Wilson's family said in a court filing that he is suffering from a 'major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia).'

In the filing, the hitmaker's team requested that a conservatorship be set up for the legendary musician to help treat the alleged condition.

The news of the filing arrived just weeks after he suffered a tragedy when his longtime wife Melinda died at age 77.

At the time, journalists who had interviewed Wilson in the past noted how she had been a constant source of help and reassurance for the musician in his later years, and she was said to have regularly sat in on interviews with him. 

In a statement to DailyMail.com at the time, Wilson's family said that 'longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian’s co-conservators of the person' after his seven children, his caregiver and his doctors had determined the move was necessary.

Wilson can still get around with a walker and the assistance of his caregiver. A February filing said he is suffering from a 'major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia)'; pictured in 2007 in LA

The attorney representing Wilson's interests says he can only remember two of his seven daughters' names — the two he lives with — and he is allegedly difficult to understand and only speaks in clipped sentences; pictured in 2015 on The View with his late wife Melinda

'This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for by Gloria Ramos and the wonderful team at the house who have been in place for many years helping take care of the family.

'Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses,' they concluded.

Wilson has a decades-long history of mental health issues and has struggled with substance abuse in the past, and the court filing said he would allegedly be unable to care for himself as his condition deteriorates.

They also said that Wilson is not able to attend hearings on the matter 'because of medical inability.'

A 'capacity' filing among the documents said that Wilson's 'fear, depression, helplessness' are 'severely inappropriate.'

The filing quoted a doctor who said Wilson is 'easily distracted, often even when aware of surroundings, and its purpose.'

They added that the musician 'Often makes spontaneous irrelevant or incoherent utterances' and 'Has very short attention span and while unintentionally disruptive, is frequently unable to maintain decorum appropriate to the situation.'

He was also said to be taking medication to 'slow the progression of the illness.' 

Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson — of Wilson Phillips fame — requested that all his children be included on a text chain with updates on his condition, and that they be consulted about medical decisions, which the judge agreed to; seen in 2019 in LA

Wilson, who takes medicine to slow the progression of dementia, relied on his wife Melinda for many of her needs, and her death in January at 77 left him distraught; seen together in 2006

Wilson's family indicated in its statement and in the court filing that the death of his wife Melinda on January 30, 2024 necessitated the conservatorship request, as she had been taking care of his 'daily living needs.'

'Mr. Wilson is unable to properly provide for his own personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,' the filing continues. 

Wilson's intended co-conservators did not request a conservator of Wilson's estate, as his assets are held in a trust, with Hard serving as its trustee.

In an anguished social media post announcing his wife Melinda's death, Wilson wrote: 'My heart is broken. Melinda, my beloved wife of 28 years, passed away this morning. Our five children and I are just in tears.

'We are lost,' he continued. 'Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior.' 

The couple were married in 1995. They previously dated from 1986 through 1989, though meddling from Wilson's then-therapist Eugene Landy ended the relationship. Landy had nearly total control of Wilson's life at the time.

Landy's professional license in California was revoked in 1989, and his overwhelming control over Wilson's personal and professional life was cited among the initial allegations.

Wilson was previously reported to have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder in the past.

In a 2015 interview with Salon — which his wife Melinda joined him for — Wilson admitted to experiencing auditory hallucinations in the form of voices for decades; seen (top right) in 1964 The Beach Boys

In a 2015 interview with Salon — which his wife Melinda joined him for — Wilson admitted to experiencing auditory hallucinations in the form of voices for decades.

'I have voices in my head,' he explained. 'Mostly it’s derogatory. Some of it’s cheerful. Most of it isn’t.'

Wilson began heavily using drugs in the mid-1960s, including the psychedelic drug LSD, and shortly afterward he began to develop paranoid delusions.

Although he had nearly total control of The Beach Boys through 1966 and the creation of the band's masterpiece Pet Sounds, his increasing drug use and mental health issues forced him to step back from his creative position.