Guardianship Lawyer in Georgetown, Delaware
Our attorneys can guide you every step of the way
In some families, it becomes necessary for a legal guardian to be appointed to care for a child. These can be difficult and complicated situations. That’s why you need experienced legal representation familiar with family law. The family law attorneys at Gill, Welsh, and Chamberlain, P.A. can guide you through the process.
A guardianship is a temporary arrangement in which an adult who is not a child’s parent assumes the legal responsibility for that child’s care. This is usually because the parent is unable to currently provide this care. There are also other types of guardianship, such as for adults who have disabilities that makes it unable to care for themselves.
The court grants the person named as guardian the powers, rights, and duties that are necessary to protect, manage and care for a child. This means that the guardian becomes responsible for the child’s day-to-day care. This includes food, shelter, clothing, education and routine medical and dental care.
Our lawyers are ready to help
The child’s legal parents do not give up their rights. A court will determine how much contact the parent will have with the child, how much information the guardian needs to share and set a visitation schedule. The parent may be responsible for providing financial support, depending on the situation.
Who can be a legal guardian in Delaware? Often, it’s an immediate family member, grandparent, aunt or uncle, first cousin or other close relative. A personal who is not a relative can also become a legal guardian but will need to be assessed by the Division of Family Services first. A legal guardian needs to be at least 18 years old.
Our lawyers can help you file a petition for guardianship and guide you through the court process every step of the way. We make sure that all paperwork is filled out correctly and that the court has all necessary information. Our lawyers can also help you work out issues regarding custody, visitation and any challenges to guardianship.
A guardianship agreement may be put in place for a set amount of time or until certain events take place. But the agreements are often open-ended. They can end when a child turns 18 or when a judge determines that guardianship is no longer necessary or no longer serves the child’s best interests.
Experienced attorneys you can trust
As with any family situation involving the courts, issues regarding guardianship can be contentious. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced attorney on your side who knows the law and who has handled these types of cases.
Our firm has been helping people in Georgetown and throughout Sussex County with their legal needs since 1983. People in this area trust us because they know we are concerned about the issues they are facing and will fight to help them get the best possible outcome. We are ready to help you with your family situation.
If you wish to become the legal guardian of a child in Delaware, learn more about how we can help. Contact us to schedule a consultation. One of our lawyers can meet with you to review your situation and go over your legal options. We’ll tell you want to expect and can also answer any questions you have.