The process of petitioning for legal guardianship of a child and filling out legal guardianship forms can be stressful and confusing. You may want to speak with an attorney in order to discuss the legal aspects of the situation, as well as the regulations surrounding the process before you fill out a legal guardianship form. You should be familiar with all of the aspects of the legal process so that you are prepared to handle any situation that may arise.
You should not complete a legal guardianship form unless you are positive and confident that you are ready for the responsibility that acquiring legal guardianship of a child will entail. If you are certain that you are prepared to petition for custody of a child, then you must file a petition with the local court in order to begin the legal process.
A minor who has reached the age of fourteen is permitted to complete a petition seeking new legal guardianship and is allowed to fill out legal guardianship forms. An adult who is aware that a child is abused, neglected, or in need of new legal guardianship for any other reason may choose to complete a legal guardianship form if they wish to become the child’s legal guardian.
An individual seeking to file a petition for guardianship can obtain a legal guardianship form from the probate division of the local State court. Legal guardianship forms may also be available at a local family law firm, and many may be obtained online.
The legal guardianship form will ask the petitioner a series of questions related to the child over whom they are seeking custody, as well as why they are seeking custody of the child. The form will ask for information about the petitioner, as well as information about the child, including their address and birth date.
Legal guardianship forms will ask the petitioner to specify the relationship between themselves and the child in question. It will also require the petitioner to explain why they are seeking custody of the child. Legal guardianship forms also require the petitioner to list the assets of the ward over whom they are seeking to gain custody. The petitioner will have to obtain the signature of both the mother and the father of the child, as well as the signature of the child if the child is fourteen years or older.
Once the forms have been completed by the petitioner, they are returned to the probate court or county clerks’ office along with the filing fee. After reviewing the petition forms, a hearing date will be set and the parents of the child will be notified. This is only the beginning of the legal process that must be followed in order to gain guardianship of a ward.
Before the hearing takes place the petitioner should collect adequate evidence to support their claims that it would be in the child’s best interest to be in their care. They must also prepare for a home investigation, which will take place in order to ensure that the proposed guardian can provide the child with adequate care, as well as offer the child a safe and comfortable environment.
