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Columbia Guardianship Lawyer

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Columbia Guardianship Lawyer

Dedicated Guardianship Attorney in Columbia, MD

Guardianships are legal relationships intended to protect minors and incapacitated adults who cannot make their own decisions. For guardianship matters, work with a Columbia guardianship lawyer to petition the court and prove that you meet the qualifications.

Legal Protection forThose Who Need It Most

At Liberty Legacy Law Group, we’re not just planning for the future we’re honoring the lives, stories, and values that matter most.

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Trust Liberty Legacy Law Group

The team at Liberty Legacy Law Group focuses on estate planning law, which includes appointing guardians for children and disabled adults. We have extensive experience in establishing guardianships, navigating hearings, and resolving disputes. You can trust us to help you provide legal protection for the people in your life who need it the most. You can contact our dedicated team online or by phone.

Why Hire a Guardianship Lawyer?

From 2017 to 2022, there were 4,860 public guardianship cases handled in the State of Maryland. In 2023, there were 299 cases in which guardianship of a minor child was appointed to the petitioning caregiver. If you’re taking care of a child or an incapacitated adult, you can hire a guardianship lawyer to help you or another trusted adult become their legal guardian. Your lawyer can:

  • Prove that the person is in need of a guardian
  • Help you fill out paperwork correctly to avoid delays
  • Provide you with support to navigate the hearings
  • Resolve conflict in contested cases
  • Explain financial oversight and healthcare rules
  • Help you remain in compliance with court orders

Becoming and acting as a person’s guardian can be difficult and stressful. Having a Columbia guardianship attorney on your side can make the process easier.

When Is a Guardianship Necessary?

Guardianships are used to protect minor children and adults who are not capable of providing their own care due to physical or intellectual disabilities. There are alternatives to guardianship for some disabled adults. Your attorney can help you explore options and decide whether legal guardianship is the right one given the circumstances of your case.

How We Can Help

We can help you prove that the person in need of guardianship is incapacitated and that you are eligible to become their guardian. To be eligible to become a guardian for an incapacitated adult under Maryland Code, Estates and Trusts 13-707, you must be:

  • Nominated by the disabled person, who had sufficient mental capacity to make an intelligent choice
  • A healthcare agent appointed by the disabled person
  • The disabled person’s spouse
  • The disabled person’s parent
  • A person nominated by the will of a deceased parent
  • The disabled person’s child
  • A person who would become the heir if the disabled person died
  • A person nominated by the disabled person’s caregiver
  • Otherwise considered appropriate by the court

Parents are usually a child’s default legal guardians. When parents can’t provide care, another adult, often a family member, can be assigned legal guardianship. This may be the case when the parents are:

  • Deceased
  • Incarcerated
  • Suffering from an illness
  • Having mental health issues
  • Neglectful or abusive

We can help you prove that you are fit and appropriate to be a child’s legal guardian. The court makes the decision about who should be appointed as a guardian based on what is in the child’s best interests.

Whether you want to protect an incapacitated adult receiving care at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center or another institution, or a child who has been removed from their parents’ custody due to abuse or neglect, we can help you navigate the confusing process of filling out paperwork and attending the court hearings required to complete the process of becoming a legal guardian.

Support for Families With Minor or Elderly Dependents

If you provide care for a minor or an elderly dependent, becoming their legal guardian both affords you certain rights and confers serious responsibilities. We provide support for families with minor or elderly dependents, helping them to understand guardianship laws and requirements and navigate the complex process of applying for legal guardianship in court.

FAQs

How Does Guardianship Work in Maryland?

Guardianship in Maryland works by appointing a person to manage a minor or incapacitated adult’s personal or financial affairs. There are several steps to having a guardian assigned. You’ll need to file a petition that includes proof of incapacity, undergo a court evaluation, and complete a mandatory training program before you can be appointed as a guardian for a vulnerable individual.

What Disqualifies Someone From Being a Guardian?

Several things can disqualify someone from being a guardian under Maryland Code, Estates and Trusts 11-114. You cannot become a guardian if you have been convicted of a felony, violent crime, assault, or sexual offense. Courts are also barred from appointing as guardians people who have been convicted of crimes that reflect adversely on their fitness to perform their duties, such as fraud, forgery, or theft.

Can a Child Decide Which Parent to Live With in Maryland?

A child cannot decide which parent to live with in Maryland. The court decides who the child should live with based on what is in their best interests. Minors don’t have a right to unilaterally decide where they want to live until they reach the age of majority. Judges can consider the child’s opinion if they show sufficient maturity and reasonable judgment.

Can You Get a Guardianship Without Going to Court?

You cannot obtain a legal guardianship without going to court in Maryland. All formal guardianships require official appointment from a circuit court, which is why you must file a petition with the court. There are some more limited alternatives to guardianship, such as power of attorney and advance directives, that do not require court intervention. Maryland also allows designated family members to act as medical surrogates without court orders.

Your Columbia, MD Guardianship Lawyer

If you need to have guardianship of a minor or an incapacitated adult assigned, you can turn to a Columbia, MD guardianship lawyer from Liberty Legacy Law Group for help. We provide compassionate legal guidance and take the time to explain the nuances of guardianship laws to our clients in terms they can understand. We have both evening and virtual availability, so don’t wait. Contact us to discuss your guardianship case.

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At Liberty Legacy Law Group, we’re not just planning for the future—we’re
honoring the lives, stories, and values that matter most.

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