A legal guardianship is when a judge decides that a person other than a child’s biological parent will have custody of the child.  Guardianship gives an adult the authority to make decisions for that child that a parent would normally… Read More ›

A person over 18 years old can be a legal guardian for a person under 18.  Guardians are usually relatives or family friends – responsible people who the child knows well.  The guardian is responsible for the child’s care including… Read More ›

A child can legally live with other adults without a guardianship if the child has his/her parent’s permission. Sometimes that kind of arrangement is fine; but some young people need a formal guardianship because their parents treat them badly and… Read More ›

The child’s parents are still their parents – a guardianship doesn’t change that.  Guardianship suspends parents’ ability to make decisions about the child’s life because the guardian raises the child as his/her own.  The child can still see their parents,… Read More ›

Getting a guardianship is done through the Superior Court in your county.  If the child is under 12 years old, the proposed guardian can ask the court to be made the child’s guardian. If the child is 12 or older,… Read More ›

Guardianship hearings are all different, so there’s no way to know exactly what the hearing would be like.  If the child’s parents, grandparents, and brothers and sisters over the age of 12 agree to the guardianship, the hearings are usually… Read More ›