A guardianship is a court-supervised administration for a minor or for an incapacitated person.  A person -- called the guardian -- is appointed by a court to care for the person and/or property of the minor or incapacitated person -- called the ward.  There are two types of guardians and guardianships.  A guardian appointed to take care of the physical well-being of a ward is called a guardian of the person, while a guardian appointed to take care of the ward's property is called a guardian of the estate.  In some cases, only one type of guardian is appointed for a particular ward.  In many cases, both a guardian of the person and a guardian of the estate is appointed for a ward.  (Often, but not always, they are the same person.)  For more information about guardianships in general, click here for frequently asked questions about guardianships.

Last updated on January 6, 2011 by Glenn Karisch