Legal guardians are assigned to be the caretaker for an incapacitated senior or disabled adult. It is the guardian’s responsibility to act in the best interests of the individual, who is also referred to as a ward. Sometimes, it can be difficult to understand this type of care. Our guardianship lawyer in Raleigh NC is here to help.
Guardianship | Lawyer Raleigh NC
- A guardianship can be established for anyone, but when it is for an adult, it is usually someone who is elderly or has mental disabilities that keep them from being able to care for themselves.
- A judge may also speak with the person or ask to speak with family members.
- In North Carolina, there are three types of guardians: a guardian of the person, who makes personal decisions on behalf of the ward, a guardian of the estate, who deals with finances, and a general guardian, who can take care of both areas.
- In some cases, it is clear a person needs help, but in others it may not be.
- Guardianship can also occur in the case of illness and can be a temporary solution.
- It is important that the guardian be trustworthy as these are decisions that can affect the livelihood of the individual. However, the court has some supervision over decisions. Medical or psychological evidence may be brought in to help the judge decide.
- A guardian can make financial and medical decisions for that person. This can include deciding where he or she will live, paying bills, and making decisions regarding medical needs.
- When someone is unable to make decisions for him or herself, the court can appoint another person, or a guardian, to make those decisions.
- When the person is found to be incompetent, he or she may be deemed a “ward.”
If you'd like to learn more about guardianship, be sure to visit with the next post. There, you'll find more information.
Guardianship Lawyer in Raleigh NC
Remember, if you don’t have an estate plan in place or haven’t reviewed yours in several years, now might be the best time to start. Our estate lawyer is here to help you get your estate planning in order and ready should you pass in an untimely manner or become incapacitated at some point. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to an estate plan. Contact our office.
As always, feel free to contact us at our office to schedule a consultation with if you are looking for a lawyer to represent you in other legal matters. We are here to assist you with small business needs, trademarking, copyrighting and DWI issues.
