Adrienne K. Miller Attorney at Law

A Professional Corporation

Serving Simi Valley and the surrounding area

Guardianships for Minors

If you find that a child in your life needs a legal guardian, I can assist you. There are two main types of guardianships. “Guardian of the Person” is when someone other than a custodial parent will need to care for the child on a daily basis and make basic life decisions such as where the child goes to school, choosing the child’s doctor, etc.

The second kind of guardianship is “Guardian of the Estate” and is necessary if the child has sizeable financial assets or some kind of ownership in real property (for example, a child inherits a share of a house when a parent dies). This type of guardian manages the child’s assets and periodically reports to the Court about that management. I can prepare all the documents and appear at the court hearings from the time the guardianship is established until it is terminated at the child’s 18th birthday.

I can assist you in navigating this legal process.

Legal Guardianship for a Minor Child

Sometimes a minor child will need a caretaker other than a parent. This is usually caused when the parents are deceased or unable to care for the child for some reason. Whether the reason be a lack of money, incarceration, drug abuse, serious health issues, death of a parent, etc. it is important for another adult to assume the position of legal guardian. A legal guardian has the ability to provide insurance and medical coverage to the child, to become involved in the child’s education, and to essentially “raise” the child, until the custodial parent can resume those duties or until the child turns 18. A legal guardian can also help the child obtain financial aid if that child is college-bound.

This type of Guardianship is “Guardian of the Person.”

Protecting a Child’s Assets

Occasionally a minor child will have a large sum of money, or an “interest” in real estate. This is most often obtained through an inheritance. When this happens the court will become involved in managing this money to ensure that the assets are prudently managed for the child’s best interests. The Court will appoint a legal guardian to take on these tasks.

This type of Guardianship is “Guardian of the Estate.”