Incapacity and guardianship

• Author: Steven F. Samilow
• Pages: 1141-1182

14-1

INCAPACITY AND

GUARDIANSHIP

CHAPTER 14

INCAPACITY AND GUARDIANSHIP

I. GENERAL POINTS

§14:01 Incapacity and Guardianship Require Expertise

§14:02 Client Interview

§14:03 Consider Less Restrictive Alternatives

§14:04 Jurisdiction and Venue

§14:05 Court Monitors

§14:06 Counsel Required

§14:07 Interim Judicial Review

§14:08 Recording of Hearings

II. GUARDIANS

§14:20 Individual and Entity Guardians

§14:21 Public Guardians

§14:22 Foreign Guardians

§14:23 Professional Guardians

§14:24 Standby Guardians

§14:25 Surrogate Guardians

§14:26 Guardian Advocates

§14:27 Guardianship Database

III. GUARDIANSHIP TYPES

§14:40 Overview

§14:41 Parents as Natural Guardians

§14:42 Minors’ Guardianships

§14:43 Incapacity Guardianships

§14:44 Veteran’s Guardianships

§14:45 Emergency Temporary Guardianships

§14:46 Preneed Guardians for Adults

§14:47 Preneed Guardians for Minors

§14:48 Voluntary Guardianship of Property

IV. ESTABLISHING INCAPACITY

§14:60 General Points

§14:61 Petition to Determine Incapacity

§14:62 Petition for Appointment of Guardian of the Person and/or Property

§14:63 Service of Petitions

§14:64 Representing the Alleged Incapacitated Person

§14:65 Appointment of the Examining Committee

§14:66 The Work of the Examining Committee

Florida Small-Firm Practice Tools 14-2

INCAPACITY AND

GUARDIANSHIP

§14:67 Adjudication of the Petition to Determine Incapacity

§14:68 Order Determining Incapacity

§14:69 Fees of the Examining Committee

§14:70 Fees Assessed Against the Petitioner for Bad Faith

§14:71 Fees of the Alleged Incapacitated Person’s Court-Appointed Attorney

§14:72 Power of Attorney Suspension—Agent Is Not a Close Relation

§14:73 Power of Attorney Suspension—Agent Is a Close Relation

§14:74 Independent Action to Establish Parental Duty of Support to Adult Child

V. APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF THE GUARDIAN

§14:80 Criteria for Appointment as Guardian

§14:81 The Guardianship Application

§14:82 The Hearing and Order Appointing Guardian

§14:83 After the Hearing and the Guardian’s Oath

§14:84 Bond for Guardian of the Property

§14:85 Letters of Guardianship

§14:86 Guardian Education Requirements

§14:87 Resignation of the Guardian

§14:88 Abuse or Exploitation of Ward by Guardian

§14:89 Removal of the Guardian

§14:90 Accounting by the Removed Guardian

VI. CONDUCTING THE GUARDIANSHIP

§14:100 Powers and Duties

§14:101 Initial Guardianship Plan/Inventory

§14:102 Settlement of Claims

§14:103 Actions Requiring Court Approval

§14:104 Compensation

§14:105 Annual Report

§14:106 Annual Accounting

§14:107 Simplif‌ied Annual Accounting

§14:108 Annual Plan

§14:109 Breach of Fiduciary Duty by the Guardian, Kickbacks and Conf‌licts

§14:110 Oversight of Guardianship Plans, Reports and Accountings

§14:111 Advance Healthcare Directives and Resuscitation

§14:112 Court Documents Which the Guardian Must Sign

VII. TERMINATING THE GUARDIANSHIP

§14:120 Suggestion of Capacity

§14:121 No Objection and Order of Full or Partial Restoration

§14:122 Objection and Hearing

§14:123 Partial Order of Restoration and Updated Guardianship Report

§14:124 Voluntary Closing of the Guardianship

§14:125 Discharge of the Guardian

§14:126 Unclaimed Funds

§14:127 When the Guardian Serves as the Personal Representative

FORMS

Form 14:10 Guardianship Intake

Form 14:20 Waiver and Renunciation of Right to Be Appointed Guardian

Form 14:30 Guardianship Off‌ice Procedures

Form 14:40 Guardianship Hearing Script

Form 14:50 Letter of Instruction to Guardian

Form 14:60 Sale of Property Hearing Script in Guardianship

Form 14:70 Receipt and Indemnity Agreement

Form 14:80 Order Discharging Guardian and Closing Case

Form 14:90 Motion to Continue Show Cause Hearing

14-3 Incapacity and Guardianship §14:02

INCAPACITY AND

GUARDIANSHIP

I. GENERAL POINTS

§14:01 Incapacity and Guardianship Require Expertise

Ινχαπαχιτψ ανδ γυαρδιανσηιπ προχεεδινγσ γο ηανδ ιν ηανδ. Ινχαπαχιτψ ρεφερσ το τηε χονδιτιον οφ α περσον ωηο

 

χουρτ οϖερσιγητ οφ α περσον ωηο λεγαλλψ ισ δεεµεδ ινχαπαχιτατεδ, τηρουγη τηε εµπλοψµεντ οφ α χυστοδιαν κνοων

ασ α γυαρδιαν.

Ινχαπαχιτψ ανδ γυαρδιανσηιπ προχεεδινγσ αρε γοϖερνεδ βψ σπεχιαλιζεδ λαωσ, ρυλεσ ανδ προχεδυρεσ. Βεφορε

υνδερτακινγ ρεπρεσεντατιον ιν α γυαρδιανσηιπ µαττερ, ψου µυστ φαµιλιαριζε ψουρσελφ ωιτη τηε ινχαπαχιτψ ανδ γυαρδ−

ιανσηιπ λαωσ, ρυλεσ ανδ προχεδυρεσ. [Σεε



§14:02 Client Interview

Οβταιν τηε βασιχ ινφορµατιον φροµ τηε χλιεντ. Ασκ τηε χλιεντ:

 Ωηο νεεδσ τηε γυαρδιανσηιπ (ι.ε.

 

 

 



Ασκ τηε φολλοωινγ θυεστιονσ ασ δελιχατελψ ασ ποσσιβλε. Ψουρ µαιν γοαλ ισ το δετερµινε ιφ ιτ ισ ρεαλλψ α γυαρδ−

ιανσηιπ τηατ τηε περσον νεεδσ, ανδ ωηετηερ τηε χλιεντ ισ ελιγιβλε το βε απποιντεδ ανδ µαψ θυαλιφψ ασ α γυαρδιαν.

 



 

 

 

    



   ι.ε., Βακερ Αχτεδ, ορ οτηερωισε ινϖολυνταριλψ ορ



 

 

 

Οβταιν τηε φολλοωινγ ινφορµατιον:

 

 

 

 

 

     



Σεε

Αλσο, δετερµινε ωηετηερ τηε προποσεδ ωαρδ ηασ γιϖεν α ποωερ οφ αττορνεψ το ανψονε, σινχε τηατ περσον µυστ

ρεχειϖε νοτιχε οφ τηε γυαρδιανσηιπ.

  ε.γ.  −

παχιτψ, α πετιτιον το απποιντ α γυαρδιαν, αν ινϖεντορψ οφ προπερτψ, αν ινιτιαλ πλαν, ανδ τηερεαφτερ αννυαλ πλανσ ανδ





  −

