Judge: Estate of Eagles’ Randy Meisner should pay for psych exam

The Eagles in 1972

A judge ruled the estate of Eagles co-founder Randy Meisner should pay an $8,000 advance sought by a psychiatrist appointed to examine the musician in response to a longtime friend’s concern about the musician’s medical care.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Barry’s ruling, issued Tuesday, also states that the examination should be limited to whether Dr. David Trader believes Meisner was mentally sound when he chose his temporary conservators, Arthur Ford and Thomas DeLong.     Under the current temporary conservatorship that Barry established on April 1, the judge named Ford, a longtime Meisner friend, as the temporary conservator of the musician himself.

The 70-year-old Meisner’s accountant, Thomas DeLong, was appointed temporary conservator of his business affairs.

Meisner sought to be placed under a conservatorship shortly after his 63- year-old wife, Lana, suffered a fatal gunshot wound March 6 when she lifted a rifle that accidentally discharged in the couple’s Studio City home.

Another longtime acquaintance of Meisner, James Newton, has filed a competing petition asking that Donna Bogdanovich be appointed as the bassist’s conservator.  Bogdanovich is a former social worker and case manager who specializes in mental health issues.

Newton said he has been in contact with the guitarist’s children regarding their father’s health. A non-jury trial of the competing conservatorship petitions is scheduled for Oct. 14.

Barry’s ruling came over the objections of the current temporary conservators and their lawyer, Sanford Passman. Passman said during a hearing on Tuesday that the estate should not have to pay for the services of an expert witness whose testimony is being sought by Newton and not the temporary conservators.

The Eagles were founded in 1971 by Meisner, the late Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon. Meisner co-wrote and sang the hit, “Take it to the Limit.”

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Judge: Estate of Eagles’ Randy Meisner should pay for psych exam