Operating Status
ShareGetting Started - What are the rights of the minor?
A minor who is fourteen or older has the right to nominate a guardian.
Getting Started - What options other than opening a guardianship are available?
Other possibilities depend on the facts of the situation. Consult an attorney for advice.
Getting Started - Why is bond necessary? What happens if a potential guardian is unable to obtain bond?
Bond protects the assets of the minor. A guardian of a minor must be bonded in the amount of the assets that the guardian will be holding plus one year’s worth of income from those assets. If the guardian misappropriates the assets, the bonding company will reimburse the estate of the minor in the amount that was mishandled up to the value of the bond. The Court is not likely to appoint anyone who cannot obtain bond as a guardian.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Can I remove a ward from the District of Columbia without court approval?
In accordance with the law in the District of Columbia, a guardian may establish a residence for the ward outside the District of Columbia.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Can I pick which Judge my report goes to?
No, the Judge to whom a report is forwarded cannot be selected by anyone. Each Report of Guardian will be forwarded to the Judge assigned to that particular ward’s intervention case.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Can the Report of Guardian be handwritten?
Although the Report of Guardian can be handwritten, guardians are strongly advised to use the interactive form on the website to type the report and print it out for filing. If the Report of Guardian form is typed or saved to a personal computer, it can be updated with any changes every six months, printed, and filed.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Can probate staff notarize reports?
The Probate staff is available to take the oath required on the petition for a general proceeding or the Report of Guardian.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Do I have to have my Letters recorded?
Letters of conservatorship and orders terminating conservatorships must be filed or recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds so that notice of the transfer of title is on file. There is a fee associated with this filing.
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - Do I report a small bank account held on the ward’s behalf?
A small bank account held on the ward’s behalf may be listed on the Report of Guardian in paragraph 22. The Court determines what qualifies as "small."
Serving as a Guardian or Conservator - How do I open a conservatorship account?
Take the Letters of conservatorship, your identification, and the ward’s Social Security number to a District of Columbia bank that is conveniently located. Open a bank account that is titled in the name of the subject and yourself as conservator. Usually, this is a checking account that returns checks and provides monthly bank statements because bank statements and canceled checks are needed to prepare the annual account and copies must be presented with the account.
