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Guardianship Systems

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Elder Abuse

Abstract

Adult guardianship is a relationship created by state law in which a court appoints a person or entity (the guardian) to assume the duty and power to make personal and/or property decisions for another adult based on evidence, that the person is unable to do so. Guardianship is truly a double-edged sword in that it can be both a solution for, and a source of, elder abuse. Guardians may be appointed by the court to protect against abuse, neglect, or exploitation—and most do so, under the court’s supervision. However, some guardians may take advantage of their position of trust to use the person’s funds for their own benefit instead of for the care of the individual. This chapter gives an overview of adult guardianship in the United States, discusses less restrictive options for decision-making, and describes procedural protections in the appointment of a guardian. The chapter also summarizes the roles and duties of guardians, as well as the monitoring steps a court may take to ensure accountability when fundamental rights and financial resources are transferred to guardians.

Erica Wood is not writing on behalf of the American Bar Association, and the views expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent an official position of the ABA, unless otherwise indicated.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See “Guardian Fees” at Sect. 17.4.6 in this chapter.

  2. 2.

    See Sect. 17.4.3 in this chapter for more on supported decision-making.

  3. 3.

    For a discussion of limited guardianship orders, see Sect. 17.4.1 in this chapter.

  4. 4.

    NGA Standards of Practice, Preamble, p. 1 (2013), www.guardianship.org.

  5. 5.

    Leonnig, C., Hun, L. & Cohen, S. “Under court, Vulnerable Become Victims: Attorneys Who Ignored Clients or Misspent Funds Rarely Sanctioned,” The Washington Post, A01, June 15, 2003; Cohen, S., Leoning, & Witt, A., “Rights and Funds Can Evaporate Quickly, Attorneys’ Powers Thwarted D.C. Residents Trying to Remain Independent,” The Washington Post, A01, June 16, 2003; Leonard, J., Fields, R. & Larrubia, E., “Guardians for Profit: Judges’ Inaction, Inattention Leave Many Senior at Risk,” The Los Angeles Times, A1, November 14, 2005; Glaberson, W., “Grand Jury Urges Overhaul of Legal Guardianship System, The New York Times, B1, March 3, 2004; Jarman, J., Riepenhoff, J., Sullivan, L. & Wagner, M., “Unguarded,” Columbus Times Dispatch, May 18–22, 2014, http://dispatch.com/unguarded.html; Smith, B. P., “The Kindness of Strangers,” Sarasota Herald Tribune, December 7–9, 2014, http://guardianship.heraldtribune.com; Bauman, K., “Family Speaks Out About Guardianship System, Contact 13, February 2, 2015, http://www.scrippsmedia.com/ktnv/news/contact-13/contact-13-investigates/Family-speaks-out-about-guardianship-system-290598431.html; Jones, A. & Campo-Flores, A., “Abuse Plagues System of Legal Guardians for Adults,” The Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/abuse-plagues-system-of-legal-guardians-for-adults-1446225524.

  6. 6.

    In Re the Guardianship of Dameris L., 2012 NY Slip Op 22386 Decided on December 28, 2012 Sur Ct, New York County.

  7. 7.

    Sec 314 UGPPA 1997.

  8. 8.

    NGA Standard #7.

  9. 9.

    NGA Standard #7, 2013.

  10. 10.

    NGA Standard. #7, 2013.

  11. 11.

    NGA Standard #13.

  12. 12.

    NGA Standard #4.

  13. 13.

    NGA Standard #12.

  14. 14.

    NGA Standard #13.

  15. 15.

    For a discussion of asset protection, see Sect. 17.5.2 in this chapter.

  16. 16.

    NGA Standard #18.

  17. 17.

    National College of Probate Judges, National Probate Court Standards, 3.3.16 (2013).

  18. 18.

    NGA Standards #17, 18, 19.

  19. 19.

    NGA Standard #17.

  20. 20.

    NGA Standard #22.

  21. 21.

    NGA Standard #22.

  22. 22.

    NGA Standard #22.

  23. 23.

    Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act, Sec. 317.

  24. 24.

    National Probate Court Standards, National College of Probate Judges, Sec. 3.3.19 (2013).

  25. 25.

    National Association for Court Management, Adult Guardianship Guide, 2014, based on a list of red flags from Quinn and Krooks [59, pp. 1663–1665]. Also see National Probate Court Standards, 3.3.17.

  26. 26.

    National College of Probate Judges, National Probate Court Standards, 3.3.16 (2013), http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/spcts/id/240.

  27. 27.

    For a discussion of bonds, see Sect. 17.3.6 in this chapter.

  28. 28.

    Standard 3.3.15, National Probate Court Standards.

  29. 29.

    Standard #18(IV), National Guardianship Association Standards of Practice.

  30. 30.

    National Probate Court Standards 3.3.18.

  31. 31.

    National Probate Court Standards 3.3.19.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, #400, Washington, 20036, DC, USA

    Erica Wood

  2. San Francisco Superior Court San Francisco, California, USA

    Mary Joy Quinn

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  1. Erica Wood
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    XinQi Dong

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Wood, E., Quinn, M.J. (2017). Guardianship Systems. In: Dong, X. (eds) Elder Abuse. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47504-2_17

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