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Filing the Petition a Petition for Guardianship must be filed with the appropriate Probate Court and a filing fee paid. ... Appointment of Examiners the court will appoint two examiners , one of whom must be a physician.

Must be 25 years old or older. Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. An attorney guardian ad litem must complete 6 hours of family law continuing legal education (CLE) annually. ... A lay guardian ad litem must complete 9 hours of continuing education for initial qualification.

A typical retainer for an average contested custody matter ranges from $1,500.00 to $3,500.00. The Court also sets the GAL's hourly rate which can range from $75.00 per hour to $250.00 an hour, depending on whether the GAL is a lay person or attorney and depending on the complexity of the case.

Guardians ad litem are persons appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child in court proceedings. In family court, guardians are appointed in contested custody and visitation cases, name changes, adoptions, DSS abuse and neglect cases, and termination of parental rights cases.

This is typically because the ward is a minor or is legally incompetent. Unlike typical guardians or conservators, guardians ad litem only protect their wards' interests in a single case. Courts most frequently appoint guardians ad litem in parents' disputes over child custody of their children.

Ad litem (Latin: "for the suit") is a term used in law to refer to the appointment by a court of one party to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another party such as a child or an incapacitated adult, who is deemed incapable of representing himself.

Probate Guardianship refers to a court appointed adult who is not the child's parent to take care of the child or the child's property. ... Usually probate guardianship of a person is set up by the court to give the adult living with the child the legal authority to make decisions on behalf of the child.

A guardian (or conservator) of the person is responsible for decisions about care provisions and living arrangements of the ward. A guardianship (or conservatorship) of the estate is charged with the ward's property and financial affairs. In some states, the term guardian is used for both scenarios.

Voluntarily Signing Over Legal Guardianship Courts generally prefer to place children with relatives when possible, but another responsible adult may be named as your child's legal guardian. ... The guardian will have legal and physical custody and make all decisions regarding your child's health and well-being.

Complete an Application for Guardianship To apply for a Guardianship, you must complete a Guardianship Application. Applications are available on probate court websites, or at the probate court itself. You must file the Application for Guardianship in the probate court of the county in which the proposed ward lives.

Guardianship documents are not a matter of public record. Most of the time a power of attorney is not a matter of public record either.

A guardianship is when a person (other than the child's parent) has legal custody and control over your child. The guardian has the right to make all decisions concerning the child, and is legally responsible for the child.

Parental Rights Therefore, the guardian has physical custody, and the child's parent does not. However, biological parents maintain their parental rights, even when they don't have physical custody. Their rights are not terminated by the guardianship -- they're suspended.

Permanent Guardianship refers to a type of guardianship in which a relationship between a child and a guardian is permanent and self-sustaining, and creates a permanent family for the child. The parental rights of a child's parents need not be terminated under permanent guardianship.

When appointed by the court, a guardian makes decisions for the ward to ensure that the ward's medical, social and emotional needs are met. Generally, a guardian is entitled to reasonable compensation. ... The court will review the compensation paid to the guardian in the annual account filed by the guardian.