Jay Leno’s Dementia-Stricken Wife ‘Sometimes Does Not Know Her Husband’ as Talk Show Host Asks Court to Name Him Conservator
A judge will rule on Jay's petition this week.
April 1 2024, Published 11:00 a.m. ET
Jay Leno was praised for making moves in court to make sure his dementia-stricken wife is taken care of in the event of his death — as she struggles to remember who he is or her birthday.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a lawyer recently evaluated Jay’s 77-year-old wife Mavis as part of Jay’s court case.
The couple have been married for decades.
As we previously reported, in January, the former late-night talk show host filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court. He asked that he be put in charge of his Mavis’ estate.
"Unfortunately, Mavis has been progressively losing capacity and orientation to space and time for several years," the filing explained.
Doctors praised Jay for how well he takes care of his wife.
Jay said he should be put in charge of handling Mavis’ finances. He said he had handled the couple’s finances throughout their 43-year marriage “and will continue to do so until his passing.” His lawyer said, “Jay is fully capable of continuing his support for Mavis’s physical and financial needs as he has throughout their marriage."
The couple have been married since 1980. They did not have any children.
A hearing has been set for April 9 — where the judge will determine whether to make Jay the conservator.
The court-appointed lawyer who evaluated Mavis revealed Jay is currently doing estate planning. “The purpose of doing the substituted judgment estate planning would be to prepare an estate plan and if something happened to Mr. Leno, a petition for conservatorship of the person would promptly be filed according to the plans to be made under the estate planning to have a conservator of the person to be appointed promptly.
The lawyer spoke to Mavis at her home with Jay in February 2023. “Ms. Leno was a delightful person, and although it was clear she had cognitive impairment, she still has a charming personality and could communicate. She expressed a desire to vote and told me a little about her philanthropic work. She reposed great faith and confidence in Mr. Leno relied on him for her protection and guidance.”
The couple had no children.
He noted Mavis’ doctor said she “sometimes does not know her husband, nor her date of birth.” The doctor noted Jay treated Mavis “like gold.”
The report submitted by the lawyer noted the actions taken by Mr. Leno are “necessary for his and Mavis’ protection.”
Mavis consented to the petition and her husband serve as her conservator. “Based on my interaction with Mr. Leno, plus some research I have done, he seems to be a standup guy, and his private persona marches the public persona he projects,” the lawyer noted.
He recommended the judge sign off on Jay’s petition at the upcoming hearing.
As we first reported, Mavis will not have to appear after her doctor told the court it could cause her undue stress given her dementia.
Dr. Hart Cohen evaluated Mavis on November 21, 2023. He said she had major impairment in her short-term memory and long-term memory. The doctor said Mavis did not have the capacity to give informed consent for medical decisions.
Jay's car and motorcycle collection is estimated to be worth $52million.
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He wrote, “The proposed Conservatee, Mavis Elizabeth Leno, suffers from dementia, a major neurocognitive disorder. It is my professional opinion that, due to her condition, Mavis is unable to meaningfully participate in the hearing on the Petition to Appoint a Probate Conservator nor would she understand the nature, force or effect of the hearing should she attend.”
