Guardianship / Conservatorship

Injury, illness, or disability can impair a person’s ability to make personal or financial decisions, or to name a substitute decision-maker. This can be temporary or permanent.

If someone is unable to make personal care decisions or is unable to meet their financial needs, then setting up a guardianship or conservatorship may be appropriate. (Guardianships and conservatorships are only considered when other, less-restrictive options are unrealistic, such as setting up a healthcare directive or durable power-of-attorney instead.)

To set up a guardianship or a conservatorship on someone’s behalf, you must petition the court. If the petition is approved, then the court will issue an Order Appointing Guardian or an Order Appointing Conservator:

• A guardianship names a guardian to make a person’s medical or personal care decisions on their behalf
• A conservatorship names a conservator to make a person’s financial decisions on their behalf

NWLG attorneys represent individuals—from professional guardians and conservators to family members—in petitioning for guardianship or conservatorship to ensure that a person’s financial and physical well-being is protected.

After a petition is approved, we also support guardians and conservators in completing their duties to the Person Subject to Guardianship or Conservatorship, as well as to the court. This includes annual well-being reports, annual accountings, audits, and court hearings. We can help you complete your annual accountings and reports in MyMNConservator (MMC) and MyMNGuardian (MMG).

(See also: Resources for Guardians and Conservators.)

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