Who is a guardian?
A guardian is a person appointed by a court to have care, custody and control, or management of the estate of a child or someone who is judged to be “incompetent.” If you become incompetent (or unable to care for yourself) due to illness, a guardian may be appointed by the court to care for you and/or your child. Or, if you have a loved-one or partner who needs a guardianship, you may go to court and nominate yourself or someone else to become the guardian. The court makes the final decision on whom to appoint as guardian based on the best interests of the adult or child in need of the guardianship. NOTE: The laws regarding guardianships may be changing in the future. The free legal services listed in the Resources chapter can help you set up a guardianship.
