Compassionate Guardianship And Conservatorship Attorney In Denver, Colorado
When a loved one can no longer make decisions for themselves, families face hard choices about care and protection. You may need to help an aging parent with dementia, protect a child who inherited assets or ensure proper care for an adult with disabilities.
Attorney Shari D. Caton at Caton Law, LLC, guides Denver families through guardianship and conservatorship in Colorado with care. Protect your loved ones with experienced estate planning guidance through guardianship and conservatorship from a guardianship attorney who knows what families face.
Understanding Guardianship And Conservatorship
Colorado law provides two ways to protect people who cannot care for themselves or manage their own affairs. Guardianship gives a person the authority to make personal and health care decisions for someone who cannot. This includes:
- Deciding where the protected person lives
- Choosing their medical treatment
- Managing their daily care needs
Courts use guardianship for minors, adults with disabilities or people who have lost capacity from illness or injury.
Conservatorship gives a person the authority to manage finances and property, which includes:
- Paying bills and managing investments
- Handling real estate matters
- Protecting assets from loss
Courts use conservatorship when someone cannot understand money matters or make sound financial choices.
Courts often appoint both a guardian and a conservator for the same person when they need protection in all areas of life. The same person can serve in both roles, or courts may choose different people for each job. These documents complement other essential estate planning documents such as trusts and wills.
When Guardianship Or Conservatorship Becomes Necessary
Families typically seek these legal protections in specific situations. These include those involving:
- Aging adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s who can no longer make safe decisions
- Adults with developmental disabilities who need ongoing support
- Minors who inherit significant property or assets
- People hurt by stroke, brain injury or severe mental illness
- Adults who cannot understand the results of their decisions
These court processes provide important protections. However, planning ahead with a well-crafted power of attorney can often prevent the need for guardianship or conservatorship.
The Colorado Court Guardianship Process
Courts must approve all guardianship or conservatorship cases. The process starts when you file a petition with the Colorado court where the person lives. The court orders medical exams to check the person’s mental capacity. Then, the court holds a hearing where you show evidence.
An adult guardianship attorney helps guide families through each step. The judge reviews everything and decides if protection is needed. If approved, the judge appoints someone to serve as guardian or conservator. A court-appointed guardian lawyer makes sure you complete the legal steps correctly.
Responsibilities Of Guardians And Conservators
Courts place significant duties on people who accept these roles. Guardians and conservators must fulfill specific tasks such as:
- Make decisions that put the protected person’s best interests first
- Make health care choices and coordinate medical treatment (guardians)
- Handle all money matters and protect assets (conservators)
- File detailed annual reports with the court
- Keep accurate records of spending and account activities
- Ask the court before making major decisions
These duties continue until the court changes or ends the guardianship or conservatorship. A legal guardian attorney helps appointees understand and fulfill these ongoing tasks.
Proactive Planning Protects Your Family
At Caton Law, LLC, attorney Shari D. Caton helps families explore all options before crisis situations arise. Working with a child guardianship lawyer or family guardianship attorney as part of elder law and estate planning lets families set up better alternatives when possible.
Schedule Your Consultation With Caton Law, LLC
The firm understands the emotional difficulty families face when seeking guardianship representation. With over 27 years of legal experience, attorney Shari D. Caton provides guardian legal services with sensitivity and attention to each family’s unique situation.
Call the firm at 720-316-2769 or use this contact form today to discuss your situation and explore the path forward for your loved one.