Completing a petition in order to receive guardianship rights to a minor is an extremely serious and sensitive matter. An individual who decides that they want to petition for custody of a minor may feel confused and overwhelmed. Beginning the legal process may seem complicated and the petitioner may have many questions that they would like answered. An individual who would like answers to questions regarding the guardianship of a child may enlist the assistance of a guardianship lawyer.
Guardianship lawyers are attorneys who specialize in family and child law. They have a great deal of experience working with children and families who are experiencing difficult and emotional times. A guardianship lawyer will be able to provide an individual who is petitioning for child guardianship rights with advice and counsel. They will be able to explain all of the rights and the responsibilities that a legal guardian will assume.
A guardianship lawyer can also provide a petitioner with information regarding the legal process that is involved with obtaining guardianship of an individual. They can help to prepare the petitioner for the types of questions and challenges that they will face when filing for guardianship of a minor. They will help the petitioner complete the guardianship form in order to ensure that they include all relevant information.
A guardianship lawyer may be particularly useful in situations in which the parents of a child do not consent to the establishment of a legal guardianship and choose to dispute it. If this occurs, the petitioner will be required to attend a court hearing and convince the judge that it is in the child's best interest to be placed in their care.
Guardianship lawyers can assist a client with collecting the evidence to support their claims. They will gather proof and testimonies that will help to convince the judge that the parents of the child are unfit to care for the child. Guardianship lawyers will also present the evidence to the judge and represent their client at the hearing. They have a great deal of knowledge about and experience in swaying a judge's decisions. Guardianship lawyers will know how to present him/herself in court. They will know what information is relevant to the case and what type of evidence the judge is seeking.
Hiring a guardianship lawyer may take a great deal of pressure off of a client who is petitioning for guardianship of the child. A guardianship lawyer will ensure that all of the legal aspects of the case have been handled properly, that the guardianship petition has been filed correctly, and that the client has proper motive to seek guardianship of the child. This is essential, as an individual who files a guardianship petition without just cause can find themselves in serious legal trouble.
Many guardianship lawyers decide to become a certified national guardian, in which they pass a guardianship certification exam. This allows them to better understand what type of responsibility a legal guardian assumes and what becoming a legal guardian entails. An individual who is petitioning a court for legal guardianship of another individual may find that they are much more comfortable hiring a guardianship lawyer than they are representing themselves.
NEXT: What is a General Guardian