At the law office of Fitch – O’Neil we provide a guardianship lawyer to represent clients in and around the Idaho area. With a number of years’ experience and hundreds of guardianship cases, with our experience and expertise you can be assured you are receiving unsurpassed advice for you and your situation.
What is Guardianship?
Guardianship is a court appointed legal ruling with the intention of protecting and benefiting an individual unable to look after themselves properly. Guardianships are usually appointed for children whose parents or legal guardians are no longer able to take care of them, or adults who are physically and/or mentally incapacitated.
Different Types of Guardianships
- Limited guardianship – If the person in question can prove they are able to make some informed decisions themselves, a court will appoint a limited guardianship. This means the person appointed can assist in some decisions, but allow the person to take some responsibility as well.
- Co-guardianship – This is when two guardians are appointed to care for an individual. The benefit to this arrangement is the shared responsibilities of the two guardians, allowing for two opinions to make some decision making easier.
- Property guardianship – A guardian appointed to take responsibility for a person’s property and some financial requirements.
- Guardian ad litem – This is a guardianship to help with any legal matters which affect the person in question.
How Long does Guardianship Last?
Once appointed by a court, there are a few ways a guardianship can end or be broken. If the child reaches 18 years of age, the guardianship comes to a natural conclusion. The other ways revolve around the courts appointment coming to an end, either by the terms of the agreement being fulfilled, or if the judge deems the relationship no longer necessary after a review.
What Is a Conservatorship?
A conservatorship is the ownership of someone over another adult’s finances appointed by a court. This is most commonly enforced due to people suffering serious injuries and being unable to tend to their own finances; such as people in comas, or suffering from mentally incapacitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.
The person’s finances and assets are safeguarded by a court supervision order, requiring the conservator to provide transparency with their actions.
The Process of Obtaining a Guardianship or Conservatorship
Anyone who feels they know someone in need of help due to any of the reasons outlined above can start court proceedings. We can appoint a guardianship lawyer in Idaho to represent you in a case bought forward. If you have any questions or concerns about someone, we are happy to discuss your options and the best options available.
