Terms of Guardianship

Guardianship is not always awarded in terms of full guardianship, meaning that someone is given full responsibility for the care and protection of a minor, or individual under the age of 18. There are varying terms of guardianship and knowing exactly what your rights and responsibilities are is important for the stability of the minor.

Emergency/Temporary Guardian

An emergency or temporary guardian will be appointed in order to care for a minor for a length of time specified by the court. This is done in an emergency situation when a minor's guardian is unable to provide necessary care, for example if they are experiencing a serious illness and have to be hospitalized for an extended period of time.

Limited Guardian

A limited guardian does not have the full rights of guardianship over the minor. Instead, they have control over responsibilities of guardianship specified to them by the court. This can include responsibilities like managing the minor's finances or schooling.

Partial Guardian

A partial guardian is one of at least two guardians appointed by the court to care for the minor. They split the responsibilities with others, either as directed by the court or as agreed upon amicably among themselves. Partial guardians are usually appointed because the court does not believe that one guardian possesses the skills necessary to be awarded full guardianship.

Pre-Need Guardian

A pre-need guardian is a guardian who is awarded full guardianship before they are needed by the minor. This is done because the minor's current guardian is terminally ill and wants to make sure that the minor is cared for properly after they have passed on. The pre-need guardian will have partial guardianship until the current guardian passes on, then will take over the role of full guardian.