Legal Guardian Form

The easiest path towards your becoming the guardian to a child in your life is to have the parents of the child grant you guardianship. They can provide you with a written statement wherein they state that they have vested you with all of the rights, duties and privileges of a guardian over their child.

There is no suitable alternative to guardianship. How do I become a guardian? You must hire an attorney. You have a right to represent yourself in court, but you do not have the right to represent another person.

Costs and Timeframes Once you file your completed paperwork, it usually takes about 30 days for the court to decide if they will grant guardianship. Lawyer and court costs are generally $2,000 to $5,000, depending on where you live in Texas and how hard it is to get the guardianship completed.

The names of the forms are usually: Petition for Appointment of Guardian (or Petition for Appointment of Guardian of Minor) Petition for Conservatorship (when dealing with an incompetent adult) Order Appointing Guardian.

The main difference between custody and guardianship is the child's parents - custody is provided to the child's biological parents while guardianship is given to a non-biological parent.

About guardians In Texas, a person does not have a guardian until an application to appoint one is filed with a court, a hearing is held and a judge appoints a guardian. When the court appointment is made, the person the guardian cares for becomes a ward of the court.

GUARDIAN: In the event I shall die as the sole parent of minor children, then I appoint ____________________________________ as Guardian of said minor children. If this named Guardian is unable or unwilling to serve, then I appoint ____________________________________ as alternate Guardian.

Two lines beneath the guardian's address, you should insert the subject heading of the letter. For example, type RE: Temporary Guardianship of Minor Child, Elizabeth Bennett. Draft the body of the letter. The first paragraph of the body of the letter should name your children and state that you have custody of them.