Considering Guardianship?

Guardianship, also referred to as conservatorship, is a legal process, used when a person can no longer make or communicate safe or sound decisions about his/her person and/or property or has become susceptible to fraud or undue influence. Establishing guardianship may remove considerable rights from an individual. Guardianship should be considered only after alternative options have proven ineffective or are unavailable.

Guardianship Protections

Guardianship is a legal process that involves the removal of the individual’s rights, considerable due process protection often exists when guardianship is established. Protections include:

Notice to the individual of all proceedings
Representation of the individual by counsel
Attendance of the individual at all hearings/court proceedings
Ability of the individual to compel, confront, and cross examine all witnesses
Allowance of the individual to present evidence
Appeal of the individual to the determination of the court
Presentation of a clear and convincing standard of proof
The right of the individual to a jury trial

Individual rights removed and due process rights may vary from state to state, the final authority is the state statutes where the person with the disability lives. In any type of guardianship, the court may limit the guardian’s authority. The guiding principle in all guardianship is that of least intrusive measures to assure as much autonomy as possible. The guardian’s authority is defined by the court and the guardian may not operate outside that authority.

A guardian may be a family member or friend, or a public or private entity appointed by the court.

Guardianship of an Estate

An estate is defined as real and personal property, tangible and intangible, and includes anything that may be the subject of ownership. When the court appoints a guardian of the estate, the guardian is assigned the following responsibilities:

Marshall and protect assets
Obtain appraisals of property
Protect property and assets from loss
Receive income for the estate
Make appropriate disbursements
Obtain court approval prior to selling any asset
Report to the court on estate status

Guardianship of a Person

When the court appoints a guardian of the person, the guardian may have the following responsibilities:

Determine and monitor residence
Consent to and monitor medical treatment
Consent and monitor non-medical services such as education and counseling
Consent and release of confidential information
Make end-of-life decisions
Act as representative payee
Report to the court about the guardianship status at least annually

Rights That May Be Affected

An adequate guardian will consider the wishes and desires of the person under guardianship when making decisions about the residence, medical treatments, and end-of-life decisions. The courts will remove only those rights that the proposed person under guardianship is incapable of handling. When the courts appoint a guardian, the following rights of the person under guardianship may be removed.

These rights may include:

Determine residence
Consent to medical treatment
Make end-of-life decisions
Possess a driver’s license
Manage, buy, or sell property
Own or possess a firearm or weapon
Contract or file lawsuits
Marry
Vote

Restoration of Rights

The goal of effective guardianship is to be able to restore the rights of the individual who, for whatever reason, has had some of them removed by a court after due process. It is true that in many instances once guardianship has been initiated by a court, it is in place until the incapacitated person dies. However, an annual review and assessment will monitor the need for maintaining or terminating guardianship and alert the court to a potential restoration of some or all of the incapacitated person’s rights.

Professional Guardian's Duties and Responsibilities

The professional guardian does not take the place of a family member, although the guardian may form an emotional bond with the person under guardianship. The professional guardian will coordinate and monitor professional services needed by the person, such as selecting a caretaker, in-home care, and other services.

Funds that belong to the person under guardianship remain the property of that person, and do not become property of the guardian. All funds are accounted for and kept separate from the guardian’s personal funds. The estate guardian acts on behalf of the incapacitated person only to the extent of the person’s assets. For each person that a professional guardian serves, the guardian stands ready to give an accurate accounting of those funds to the court. The professional guardian is an advocate and acts on behalf of the incapacitated person only to the extent of the court order.

Alternatives to Guardianship

Representative or substitute payee
Case/care management
Health care surrogacy
Trusts
Durable powers of attorney for property
Durable powers of attorney for health care
Living wills
Community advocacy systems
Joint checking accounts
Community agencies/services
Supported decision-making networks

View sources

¹ National Guardianship Association-What is Guardianship