Joni Mitchell’s friend still in charge

A judge on Wednesday praised Joni Mitchell’s longtime friend for helping the singer-songwriter recover from an aneurysm and ruled that she should continue to make medical de- cisions for the musician.

Superior Court Judge David Cunningham III said Leslie Morris should remain Mitchell’s conservator, with the authority to oversee medical care for the eight-time Grammy winner.

Morris has been acting in that capacity since May, when Mitchell was recovering in a hospital from a burst aneurysm that rendered her unable to speak for some time. The singer has since returned to her Los Angeles home and regained her speech.

Mitchell, 71, is expected to make a full recovery, a court-appointed lawyer wrote in a filing Tuesday.

Cunningham was impressed with Mitchell’s progress and said the conservatorship may not be needed for much longer. Morris does not have any control over Mitchell’s finances and the singer also retains her ability to vote, the judge ruled.

Morris and her lawyer declined to comment.