Source: https://www.brucedanford.com/Articles/Guardianship-of-an-Adult.shtml
Timestamp: 2019-06-16 12:49:29
Document Index: 387470419

Matched Legal Cases: ['§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15']

Guardianship of an Adult | The Law Firm of Bruce A. Danford, LLC | Broomfield, Colorado
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(4) "Guardian" means an individual at least twenty-one years of age, resident or non-resident, who has qualified as a guardian of a minor or incapacitated person pursuant to appointment by a parent or by the court. The term includes a limited, emergency, and temporary substitute guardian but not a guardian ad litem.
(5) "Incapacitated Person" means an individual other than a minor, who is unable to effectively receive or evaluate information or both or make or communicate information or both or make or communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the ability to satisfy essential requirements for physical health, safety, or self-care, even with appropriate and reasonably available technological assistance.
A "ward" means an individual for whom a guardian has been appointed. CRS 15-14-102 (15).
(1) Except as otherwise limited by the court, a guardian shall make decisions regarding the ward's support, care, education, health, and welfare. A guardian shall exercise authority only as necessitated by the ward's limitations and, to the extent possible, shall encourage the ward to participate in decisions, act on the ward's own behalf, and develop or regain the capacity to manage the ward's personal affairs. A guardian, in making decisions, shall consider the expressed desires and personal values of the ward to the extent known to the guardian. A guardian, at all times, shall act in the ward's best interest and exercise reasonable care, diligence, and prudence.
(a) Become or remain personally acquainted with the ward and maintain sufficient contact with the ward to know of the ward's capacities, limitations, needs, opportunities, and physical and mental health;
(b) Take reasonable care of the ward's personal effects and bring protective proceedings if necessary to protect the property of the ward;
(c) Expend money of the ward that has been received by the guardian for the ward's current needs for support, care, education, health, and welfare;
(d) Conserve any excess money of the ward for the ward's future needs, but if a conservator has been appointed for the estate of the ward, the guardian shall pay the money to the conservator, at least quarterly, to be conserved for the ward's future needs;
(e) Immediately notify the court if the ward's condition has changed so that the ward is capable of exercising rights previously removed;
(f) Inform the court of any change in the ward's custodial dwelling or address; and
(g) Immediately notify the court in writing of the ward's death.
From these two definitions and the list of duties, we can arrive at a working definition for a "Guardianship" as being the legal state whereby a Court or a parent has appointed a person to manage the physical care of another. This is a rough definition but it does contain the important aspects of a guardianship. Please note our working definition contains the phrase "manage the physical care." The reason I point this out is it is not necessary for the guardian to perform the care themselves. In fact in many cases it would be highly inappropriate to do so. An example could be an elderly parent with many physical disabilities requiring professional medical care or an elderly parent suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease requiring 24 hour awake supervision as they go on their 2:00 am stroll.
A "Respondent" is the person for whom a guardianship is sought. After a guardian is appointed by a court, the Respondent becomes a Protected Person.
(II) The respondent's identified needs cannot be met by less restrictive means, including use of appropriate and reasonably available technological assistance;
Below is a sample Petition for a Guardianship
Court Address: ___________________________________
FAX Number: Atty. Reg. #.:
VERIFIED PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF GUARDIAN FOR ADULT
__ a person interested in the welfare of the Respondent.
__ Permanent Guardian. (§15-14-304(1) and (2), C.R.S.)
__ Emergency Guardian (not to exceed 60 days). (§15-14-312, C.R.S.)
Name: ___________________________________ Relationship to Respondent: _________________
Name: ___________________________________ Age: _____ Date of Birth: ___________________
City: _______________ State: ________ Zip Code: ________ County of Residence: _____________
Home Phone #: __________________________
__ If this appointment is made, the Respondent's residence will change to:
4. Information about the Respondent's spouse or adult who has resided with the Respondent for more than six months in the last year:
5. Venue for this proceeding is proper because the Respondent
__ is present in this county. ( Check this box only if requesting an Emergency Guardian.) (§15-14-108(2), C.R.S.)
__ is admitted to an institution pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction sitting in this county. (Attach copy of order.)
6. __ An appointment of a guardian for the Respondent has been previously made. (Attach copy of Order.)
7. __ A Power of Attorney exists for financial or medical matters. (Attach a copy.) The agent's name and mailing address is:
8. __ A valid designated beneficiary agreement exists. (Attach a copy of the agreement to the Petition.) The designated beneficiary's name and address is:
9. The Respondent is unable to effectively receive or evaluate information or both, make or communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the ability to satisfy essential requirements for physical health, safety, or self-care, even with appropriate and reasonably available technological assistance. (§15-14-102(5), C.R.S.)
10. The Respondent's identified needs cannot be met by less restrictive means, including use of appropriate and reasonably available technological assistance.
11. Guardianship is necessary due to the following disabilities or impairments: __ Physician's letter attached.
12. Petitioner requests the powers and duties to be __ unlimited/unrestricted or __ limited/with restrictions. The requested limitations/restrictions on the Guardian's powers and duties, if any, are as follows:
13. __ Petitioner is, 21 years of age or older, nominates himself/herself and requests to be appointed as Guardian.
__ Petitioner nominates the following person, who is 21 years of age or older, to be appointed as Guardian.
14. The nominated Guardian has priority for appointment because he/she is: (§15-14-310, C.R.S.)
__ a Guardian currently acting for the Respondent in Colorado or elsewhere.
__ an agent under a medical power of attorney.
__ an agent under a general durable power of attorney.
__ the parent of the Respondent.
15. __ The Respondent nominated the following person as Guardian, but the Petitioner does not seek that person's appointment for the following reason:
16. __ It is necessary to appoint an Emergency Guardian for the Respondent because complying with the normal procedures for the appointment of a Guardian will likely result in substantial harm to the Respondent's health, safety, or welfare and no other person appears to have authority and willingness to act in the circumstances. (§15-14-312, C.R.S.) The nature of the emergency is as follows:
17. Information about adult children and parents. __ None (If none, list an adult relative that can be found with reasonable efforts, such as a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc.)
18. Information about each person currently responsible for primary care and custody of the Respondent, including the Respondent's treating physician: __ None
19. __ The following person is the Legal Representative for the Respondent not otherwise designated above. ( representative payee, trustee, custodian of a trust, etc. §15-14-102(6), C.R.S.)
20. The Guardian may receive compensation.
21. The Guardian may compensate his, her or its counsel.
22. The Respondent's assets are:
23. The Respondent's income is:
Description of Income (e.g. social security, pension)
The Petitioner requests that an appointment of a Guardian be made after notice and hearing.