How to Become a Legal Guardian

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.

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A legal guardian, called a conservator in some states, is someone with the legal authority to care and make decisions for a minor child or incapacitated adult. [1] X Research source Becoming a legal guardian over someone else involves filling out a number of forms and going through one or more court proceedings. [2] X Research source It is extremely important that you take all of the proper steps to become a legal guardian in order to ensure that you have the legal authority to make important decisions for the person in your care.