Guardianship Attorneys - Joliet, IL
Will County Guardianship Lawyers
Serving Will County & Grundy County
Establishing a legal guardianship may be appropriate and necessary to protect your loved one in several circumstances for example:
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For adult relatives — Elderly people who can no longer care for themselves or make sound judgements.
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For your adult child — A child who turns 18 is presumed by law to be capable of handling his or her affairs. If, however, your adult child is mismanaging his or her life because of a disability, establishing a guardianship may be necessary.
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For other minor children — When a parent is no longer ready, willing, and able to adequately care for his or her child or children — for example because of mental illness, physical disability, hospitalization or incarceration — establishing legal guardianship is one of the options relatives have for ensuring that child receives proper care.
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For those involved in a legal matter — When a minor child or an incapacitated adult is involved in a legal matter, the court may appoint a Guardian Ad Litem to safeguard his or her interests during the course of litigation.
A guardianship is a mechanism that will allow one person to make decisions for another person when they are not able to. A guardianship can be used to provide for young children, used to protect older children, used for disabled children, or can be used to help protect disabled adults. Guardianships have many purposes. They are also useful in protecting elderly people who need help with their affairs.
Often times, guardianship is established as a part of estate planning for the future. Other times it can be used to deal with current situations, such as when a person faces a medical crisis, disability, etc. Additionally, a relative can be temporarily appointed to serve as a guardian for a child if needed until the crisis is resolved.
Guardianship in Illinois is of two types:
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The first is guardianship where the designated guardian makes all decisions for the ward relating to food, shelter, clothing and medical care.
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The second is guardianship of the ward’s estate, where the guardian is responsible for all financial and legal matters.
Responsibility can be addressed by appointing a single guardian, or by appointing two based on the circumstances and needs of the situation.
We can help you establish a guardianship in Illinois
We can answer questions about:
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Guardianships for minor children
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Guardianships for disabled adult children
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How to remove or change guardians
Guardianship is not a simple matter under the law. If you choose to take this route, it is important to work with a lawyer with experience in guardianships.
There are no secrets to success. It is a combination of hard work, thoroughness, preparation, passion and compassion.