Guardianships

Guardianships are used in two situations.

• If a minor receives property (usually because of gift or inheritance), or if for some reason the child has no parents for raising him or her, the court will require a guardianship for the child.
• If an adult is not able to take care of himself or herself because of a physical or mental impairment, the court will require a guardianship for that adult.

The person upon whom the guardianship is imposed is called the ward.

Are There Any Differences in Guardianships for Children and Adults?

Guardianships for children and adults are similar.  They are imposed to protect the ward both physically (guardianship of the person) and financially (guardianship of the estate).  A guardianship may be of the person, estate, or both.

More information on guardianships for children can be found here and more information on guardianships for adults can be found here.