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Guardianship
is a legal process used when a person can no longer make safe or
sound personal and/or property decisions or has become
susceptible to fraud or undue influence.
A guardian is a
person appointed by a local court to manage the affairs of such
a person, called a ward. Establishing a guardianship
may remove considerable rights from an individual. Therefore, it
should only be considered after alternatives to guardianship
have proven ineffective or unavailable. Florida has specific
laws which are designed to protect the interests of the ward.
These laws govern the guardianship proceedings and the
guardian's activities and decisions and require an annual report
to the court by the appointed guardian.
There are
two basic types of guardianship--guardianship of the
person and guardianship of the property
or estate. Guardianship of the person may include decisions
about medical treatment, place of residence, release of
confidential information, consent and monitoring of non-medical
services, and end-of-life decisions. Guardianship of the
property or estate includes both real and personal property and
may include decisions about protection or appraisal and sale of
property (with court approval), receiving income for the estate,
and making appropriate disbursements.
As a Florida registered
guardian, we can provide guardianship services to
individuals who may be in need of these
services. We are a member of the National Guardianship
Association, the Florida State Guardianship Association (FSGA),
and the Central Florida Chapter of FSGA. |
