Legal guardianship is used to provide protection to people unable to protect themselves or incapable of making important decisions on their own. This could be a young child, a disabled adult, or someone too ill or elderly to be their own advocate. Guardians protect the personal affairs of the individual. This includes making decisions about medical care, supervising their finances, and representing them in legal matters.
How do attorneys help?
A guardianship attorney in Bainbridge Island assists people wanting to become legal guardians of someone else. They explain what their rights and responsibilities will be and help them to complete and submit the forms related to the process. They will also represent the clients in court. Elderly parents and adult children involved in accidents or disabled suddenly by disease do not always have legal documents giving someone the power of attorney. Guardianship is needed in these instances to provide care for the family member legally.
Why should someone hire a lawyer?
Not all guardianship cases are simple. Divorced parents may both want guardianship over their adult child. Elderly parents could have multiple children, siblings, or others that feel they could care for them better than the person applying for guardianship. A guardianship attorney in Bainbridge Island helps their client build a case demonstrating why they are the best choice.
Is guardianship necessary even when no other family is involved?
Legal guardianship allows the one with the authority to discuss medical conditions with their loved one’s doctors, choose a nursing facility for them, or decide to sell the individual’s home when they need funding for care. None of this is possible without some form of legal documentation. This could leave someone with dementia living at home alone or prevent them from receiving the medical care they need.
Guardianship is not given to people easily. The court wants to be certain the person applying for this role is doing so with the best interests of their loved one in mind. The court will request information regarding a care plan and review the background of the individual applying to ensure they are acceptable for this role.
