Who may be a Guardian?
A Guardian must be at least 18 years of age, have no felony convictions, and should not themsleves be disabled. In some states there is a statutory preference for appointing family members as guardians; in others it is at the discretion of the court. More states are requiring that individuals appointed as guardians have a minimum training experience – for example, to watch a video, read a book, or to attend a course on guardianship which may last anywhere from two hours up to 40 hours, or be certified as a Registered or Master Guardian through the National Guardianship Association.