Guardianship Attorneys in Houston Helping You Understand Guardianship

Choosing a guardian for a minor child, an elderly parent, a vulnerable adult, or contesting a guardian when the wrong person is in the position, can weigh on you. It’s an overwhelming task to pick the right person, and it can cause strife and friction among family members when there’s a disagreement about guardianship.

Our guardianship lawyers are no strangers to the sensitivity and vulnerability of guardianship decisions on both sides of the fence, whether you’re planning or reacting to a bad situation. We treat our clients with compassion, kindness, and understanding, a sit’s never easy. The big decisions never are.

We help our clients find comfort and peace of mind in the estate planning process, including steps to ensure the right people are in place as caretakers for their minor children, disabled loved ones, or elderly parents when they can’t care for themselves.

From conflict to confusion to clarity, we’re here for it all, and we help you work through it with finesse. Our well-seasoned attorneys have experience in probate, guardianship, and estate planning.

When it’s time to make big decisions for your family, it’s time to pick up the phone and call The Hatchett Law Firm. Book a free consultation today: 281-214-6541.

What is a Guardianship?

A legal guardian assumes legal responsibility for a minor child, special needs person, or elderly adult when they are not of age to care for themselves or are not physically or mentally able to care for themselves. Guardianships can be temporary or permanent.

Parents might plan for legal guardianship during the estate planning process to plan for unexpected situations like injury,  death, incarceration, or when an older adult needs care.

Legal guardians have authority and control over another person or people and are responsible for making decisions on their behalf. This includes decisions about medical and financial issues, education and basic care, support, and discipline. In summary, a legal guardian is responsible for living necessities and daily care.

Our guardianship lawyers with The Hatchett Law Firm can be a part of the guardianship process to ensure all legal requirements are met. Our firm will be useful in helping you plan for guardianship needs as part of the estate planning process or if you need legal support in applying for guardianship over another individual.

Book a free consultation with our guardianship lawyers to determine the next steps. Call us today: 281-214-6541.

What is a Contested Guardianship?

A legal guardian steps in to make decisions on behalf of your children, an elderly or disabled person for whom you have a responsibility, or an estate when you’re not medically able or upon your passing. Emotions can run high when it comes to death and grief. And it’s sometimes even further exacerbated when young children or elderly parents are involved.

Family members might disagree with a decision to appoint a certain person in a guardianship role. When this happens, a person can contest a guardianship with the help of a guardianship lawyer or family law attorney.

When an appointed guardian is assigned, one of the most common legal issues is contested guardianship. A person might question a guardianship if:

• Daily, basic living necessities, care, and support are not being met
• Emotional stability issues or mental or physical health issues appear
• Poor decision-making as it relates to healthcare or medical treatment is evident
• Neglect is occurring as it relates to food, clothing, or shelter
• Physical abuse or abuse of power related to money is suspected
• The proposed guardian is not following the guidelines of the guardianship appointment
• Mismanagement of finances or decisions related to the estate are observed
• Lack of communication with other family members causes issues

If you need to contest a guardianship or your guardianship is in question, it’s time to contact The Hatchett Law Firm. We can help you file a petition to the court regarding guardianship rights. Book a free call with one of our guardianship lawyers today: 281-214-6541.

How Can I Properly Plan for Guardianship?

Planning for guardianship could mean proactively considering who will care for your children or an elderly or disabled loved one in the instance you cannot. On the other side of this, it could also mean petitioning for legal guardianship rights when you don’t agree with a loved one’s will or if there isn’t one available.

Finding the right person to care for your children is the number one priority when planning a guardianship agreement. Having been through the guardianship appointment process with hundreds of families during the estate planning process, our guardianship lawyers are no strangers to the criticality of this decision.

When considering a possible guardian, you can look at the potential person’s values on multiple levels and where you both align. This could include personal views, how they handle financial and personal decisions, religious values, location, and other family-related values.

If you have a special needs child, this is an especially important consideration in making sure you have someone with interest and the willingness to care for your loved one.

If you want to become a guardian, whether to contest a guardianship or petition for rights when there’s no will, The Hatchett Law Firm can do all of the heavy lifting for you, including filing the paperwork, attending guardianship hearings, communicating with, and notifying family members, and helping you step into the role.

Why Book a Free Consultation with our Guardianship Lawyers?

Families come first in our business.

If you need to appoint a guardian, you’re about to become a legal guardian, or you need to contest a guardianship, our guardianship lawyers can help you better understand your rights, legal options, and next steps specific to your circumstances.

When planning to appoint a legal guardian, we can help you determine the best type of guardianship based on your goals, including full, limited, short-term, or temporary. Our team will prepare and file the guardianship application and paperwork to ensure it is legally binding.

If you’re about to assume the role of a guardian, our attorneys can set you up for success and help you understand your legal responsibilities, inside and out, to avoid any conflicts with the people involved and possible future legal battles that come from mismanagement.

Whatever your scenario related to guardianship, we’re with you every step of the way. Book a free consultation with our guardianship lawyers and start working through your guardianship petition or contested guardianship issues: 281-214-6541.