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A temporary guardianship is an important protective measure for children and incapacitated adults to protect their welfare and financial well-being in the event their normal full-time guardian is unavailable, whether through long-distance geographic location, compromised medical state, or negative financial situation.

A guardian is typically a member of the family, a close friend, a member of the government, or someone qualified to care for the person in question. A guardian will be in charge of the person's welfare, personal and financial affairs, and medical treatment, which is an enormous responsibility to take on.

Understanding a Temporary Guardianship

A temporary guardianship is a protective agreement that gives an adult guardianship over a minor or incapacitated adult in the event that their full-time caregiver becomes unable to do so.

A temporary guardianship agreement gives a person legal control over a minor, and these agreements can be put in place when a parent can't care for their child for a period of time.

!

Temporary guardianship differs from permanent guardianship as this arrangement is temporary. Both instances allow for an adult to solicit medical, economic, and educational services if the child requires them.

When is a Temporary Guardianship Awarded?

Temporary guardianship may be granted for a child or incapacitated adult in different life instances, such as recovering from a severe illness, work away from home, financial problems, and divorce. These circumstances could allow a different family member (such as a grandparent) to take temporary guardianship of the child.

Here are some of the various circumstances that warrant the need for temporary guardianship:

  • Incapacitation: This can cause someone to lose the capacity to make legal and financial decisions for oneself and could implement temporary guardianship as the incapacitated person recovers.
  • Temporary substitution: A temporary guardianship can be used if a child's usual guardian isn't available for a period of time. For example, if they are leaving to work elsewhere.
  • Emergencies: A temporary guardianship can also be implemented in emergencies where there is no time to select a permanent guardian, or the normal guardian is unavailable.
!

Temporary custody of a child is not the same as temporary legal guardianship. Throughout the interim period between the divorce being filed and the divorce being finalized, temporary child custody orders are frequently made throughout the divorce process.

If an adult cannot care for their fundamental requirements or handle their personal affairs, they may require a legal guardian. A medical condition may also make a person unable to serve as a guardian.

Why Terminate a Guardianship?

There are multiple reasons why temporary guardianship might be terminated automatically or through legal proceedings.

Death: The guardian is required to inform the court and formally end the guardianship upon the demise of the protected person.

Competency: If the protected individual is an adult who is now competent and capable of handling their own affairs, then this is applicable. The adult's competency must be attested to by two doctors.

!

Any request to terminate a guardianship based on the protected adult's competency must be accompanied by two letters from two different doctors attesting to that fact.

Majority Age: If the protected individual was a minor who has since turned 18, the temporary guardianship agreement could cease.

Parent Will Care For Child: If the person in question is a kid and the parents can now take care of the child, the guardianship can be terminated. The parents must demonstrate that they have resolved the problems that led to the guardianship being awarded and that they are capable of providing for the child's needs.

In general, parents must demonstrate their ability to meet their child's needs for food, clothes, shelter, and medical and educational care. The guardians might voluntarily return the child to the parents by signing documents if they agree to do so.

Terminating a Temporary Guardianship Without Going to Court

You might terminate the interim guardianship without the need for judicial action (much like a CPS probe) if an agreement was not reached for this guardianship after a court case.

If legal action was required to protect the child, the court will assume it was necessary. Therefore, the guardian will need to provide proof to refute that claim.

Most of the time, if the temporary guardians of the child choose to do so, they can end the arrangement by putting a condition in writing. Furthermore, no legal action will be necessary.

Depending on the state, a minor older than 14 may also have a say in the case. This clause in the termination of interim guardianship shall be conclusive evidence of the parties' agreement that the guardianship agreement is terminated.

Guardianship agreements are a delicate topic that needs the utmost thought because of how they influence children. Therefore, you may typically only establish or terminate temporary guardianship through courts unless the arrangement is completely amicable and devoid of any kind of conflict.

This way of getting guardianship back is the smoothest transition for amicable parties and certain situations.

If the child's needs can be met, the courts will only allow the termination of temporary guardianships. It is required to make a motion to do so when the situation calls for it.

Before the current guardianship arrangement ends, if the temporary guardian and both parents agree, they can jointly dissolve the guardianship without going to court (barring any ongoing legal or child protection investigations that could influence their legal standing).

If you find yourself needing to relinquish guardianship of a minor, we make this process easier by providing a temporary guardianship form that can be used to facilitate the creation of this legal document for any parent planning to transfer custodianship of their child for a short time.

Start your Temporary Guardianship Form now

Helpful Resources:

American Bar - Guardianship Properly Terminated on Best Interest Standard

Department of Justice - Mistreatment and Abuse by Guardians and Other Fiduciaries

Chicago Custody Lawyers - Issues that Can Arise in Guardianship Cases

A temporary guardianship is an important protective measure for children and incapacitated adults to protect their welfare and financial well-being in the event their normal full-time guardian is unavailable, whether through long-distance geographic location, compromised medical state, or negative financial situation.

A guardian is typically a member of the family, a close friend, a member of the government, or someone qualified to care for the person in question. A guardian will be in charge of the person's welfare, personal and financial affairs, and medical treatment, which is an enormous responsibility to take on.

Understanding a Temporary Guardianship

A temporary guardianship is a protective agreement that gives an adult guardianship over a minor or incapacitated adult in the event that their full-time caregiver becomes unable to do so.

A temporary guardianship agreement gives a person legal control over a minor, and these agreements can be put in place when a parent can't care for their child for a period of time.

!

Temporary guardianship differs from permanent guardianship as this arrangement is temporary. Both instances allow for an adult to solicit medical, economic, and educational services if the child requires them.

When is a Temporary Guardianship Awarded?

Temporary guardianship may be granted for a child or incapacitated adult in different life instances, such as recovering from a severe illness, work away from home, financial problems, and divorce. These circumstances could allow a different family member (such as a grandparent) to take temporary guardianship of the child.

Here are some of the various circumstances that warrant the need for temporary guardianship:

  • Incapacitation: This can cause someone to lose the capacity to make legal and financial decisions for oneself and could implement temporary guardianship as the incapacitated person recovers.
  • Temporary substitution: A temporary guardianship can be used if a child's usual guardian isn't available for a period of time. For example, if they are leaving to work elsewhere.
  • Emergencies: A temporary guardianship can also be implemented in emergencies where there is no time to select a permanent guardian, or the normal guardian is unavailable.
!

Temporary custody of a child is not the same as temporary legal guardianship. Throughout the interim period between the divorce being filed and the divorce being finalized, temporary child custody orders are frequently made throughout the divorce process.

If an adult cannot care for their fundamental requirements or handle their personal affairs, they may require a legal guardian. A medical condition may also make a person unable to serve as a guardian.

Why Terminate a Guardianship?

There are multiple reasons why temporary guardianship might be terminated automatically or through legal proceedings.

Death: The guardian is required to inform the court and formally end the guardianship upon the demise of the protected person.

Competency: If the protected individual is an adult who is now competent and capable of handling their own affairs, then this is applicable. The adult's competency must be attested to by two doctors.

!

Any request to terminate a guardianship based on the protected adult's competency must be accompanied by two letters from two different doctors attesting to that fact.

Majority Age: If the protected individual was a minor who has since turned 18, the temporary guardianship agreement could cease.

Parent Will Care For Child: If the person in question is a kid and the parents can now take care of the child, the guardianship can be terminated. The parents must demonstrate that they have resolved the problems that led to the guardianship being awarded and that they are capable of providing for the child's needs.

In general, parents must demonstrate their ability to meet their child's needs for food, clothes, shelter, and medical and educational care. The guardians might voluntarily return the child to the parents by signing documents if they agree to do so.

Terminating a Temporary Guardianship Without Going to Court

You might terminate the interim guardianship without the need for judicial action (much like a CPS probe) if an agreement was not reached for this guardianship after a court case.

If legal action was required to protect the child, the court will assume it was necessary. Therefore, the guardian will need to provide proof to refute that claim.

Most of the time, if the temporary guardians of the child choose to do so, they can end the arrangement by putting a condition in writing. Furthermore, no legal action will be necessary.

Depending on the state, a minor older than 14 may also have a say in the case. This clause in the termination of interim guardianship shall be conclusive evidence of the parties' agreement that the guardianship agreement is terminated.

Guardianship agreements are a delicate topic that needs the utmost thought because of how they influence children. Therefore, you may typically only establish or terminate temporary guardianship through courts unless the arrangement is completely amicable and devoid of any kind of conflict.

This way of getting guardianship back is the smoothest transition for amicable parties and certain situations.

If the child's needs can be met, the courts will only allow the termination of temporary guardianships. It is required to make a motion to do so when the situation calls for it.

Before the current guardianship arrangement ends, if the temporary guardian and both parents agree, they can jointly dissolve the guardianship without going to court (barring any ongoing legal or child protection investigations that could influence their legal standing).

If you find yourself needing to relinquish guardianship of a minor, we make this process easier by providing a temporary guardianship form that can be used to facilitate the creation of this legal document for any parent planning to transfer custodianship of their child for a short time.

Start your Temporary Guardianship Form now

Helpful Resources:

American Bar - Guardianship Properly Terminated on Best Interest Standard

Department of Justice - Mistreatment and Abuse by Guardians and Other Fiduciaries

Chicago Custody Lawyers - Issues that Can Arise in Guardianship Cases