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Last page edit 04/10/08
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Guardianship of Disabled Adults
| Guardianship is a
court proceeding. When an adult is unable to make personal
decisions, such as medical decisions, or to handle his or her own
property, a court can appoint a guardian. Alternatives, such as
powers of attorney for handling money and property and
advance directives
for health care decisions are better ways to deal with these issues.
However, if the disabled person has not made those plans and documents
before becoming disabled, there may be no choice except a petition for
appointment of a guardian.
Even if you do not make an Advance Directive for Health Care decisions, Maryland law provides for medical decisions to be made by family members or close friends in some situations without appointment of a guardian. See the information about "surrogate" decision making. |
The Guardianship Handbook - A Guide to Adult Guardianship And Guardianship Alternatives in Maryland -- By Joan O'Sullivan [Adobe Acrobat format] 1998 Md. Guardianship law citations and bibliography (Md. State Law Library last updated 2002)
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| Source: Legal Aid Bureau, updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL). |
Legal review 4/10/08 (PLL/M.A.J.) |
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This site offers legal
information, not legal advice. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy
of the information and to clearly explain your options. However we do not
provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual
circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney. See
our section on "Finding
A Lawyer In Maryland." The
Maryland State
Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland
Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was
developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to
justice initiative by the Maryland
Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in
collaboration with a number of legal services
providers serving low and moderate income
Marylanders. |