How to get temporary guardianship of a child

Temporary or Concurrent Custody of a Minor Child by an Extended Family Member

Sometimes life takes a turn and puts you in situations that you did not anticipate.  One such life-changing event is when you find yourself acting as the parent(s) of a child or children of another family member.  There are many reasons for such an arrangement, but you should know that it is quite common in Florida, and you are not alone.

• Consent to Medical Treatment
• Talk with Doctors or Obtain Medical Records
• Enroll Children in School
• Grant or Withhold Consent for the Child(ren) to be Tested
  or Placed in Special School Programs, Including Exceptional Education
• Obtain School Records
• Give Consent for School Activities
• Obtain Birth Certificates and Other Official Records
• Perform Other Tasks Necessary for the Care of the Child(ren)

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a “note” from the parents, even if it is notarized, will bestow all the authority upon you to legally act as a parent.   Sometimes it will work for a while, sometimes it won’t.  Even if you have Power of Attorney over the child(ren), it’s not uncommon for schools and medical facilities to ask that you demonstrate legal custody by presenting a court order signed by a judge.

You have two options to obtain full legal authority to act as parents.  One option is to adopt the child(ren) through a relative adoption.  Contrary to what a lot of people think, an adoption of this type can be filed pro se without an attorney.  To learn more, please read our page on Florida family adoptions.  If adoption is not an option for you, the remaining option is to petition the circuit court in your county for an order of temporary or concurrent custody by extended family member.

• A relative of a minor child within the third degree by blood or marriage to the parent, or
• The stepparent of a minor child if the stepparent is currently married to the parent of the child and is not a party in a pending dissolution, separate maintenance, domestic violence, or other civil or criminal proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction involving one or both of the child(ren)’s parents as an adverse party, or an individual who qualifies as “fictive kin” as defined in FS 39. 01.

• Grandparent
• Great Grandparent
• Brother or Sister
• Uncle or Aunt
• Niece or Nephew

A person unrelated by birth, marriage, or adoption who has an emotionally significant relationship, which possesses the characteristics of a family relationship, to a child.

• You have physical custody of the child(ren) and have had physical custody of the child(ren) for at least ten (10) days in any 30-day period within the last 12 months.
• You have the signed, notarized consents of the child(ren)’s legal parents; or
• You are an extended family member who is caring full time for the child(ren) in the role of a substitute parent and with whom the child(ren) is (are) presently living.

Chances are if you’re reading this page, that “notarized letter” you have isn’t working out too well for you.  People are often surprised to learn that custody cannot be legally transferred simply by having a document notarized by the parent(s).

Sometimes such a document will “work for a while” and allow you to do various things for the child, but most schools and doctors will require an order signed by a judge.  People often learn this when they try to enroll children in school or take them for medical care.  Things get more frustrating when they realize that a court case must be filed that could take several months before a hearing is scheduled.  This can quickly turn into an emergency.

If you do have a letter or documentation from the parent(s), you will have to explain to the court in your petition why it is insufficient to enable you to do all the things necessary to care for the child(ren).

The rights of the biological or adoptive parents ARE NOT terminated by an Order of Temporary Custody by Extended Family.  Typically, parental rights may only be terminated as part of an adoption proceeding.

If the missing parent still has their parental rights intact, they must either sign a consent or be served with the petition and be given an opportunity to respond.  This is called due process.  If a parent’s whereabouts are not known, you must conduct a diligent search to try and locate them.  If an address is found, you must attempt to serve them at that address.  Service of process can become complicated.  If a parent cannot be located or is evading service, you may have to ask the court to serve by publication.   This involves putting an ad in a newspaper and following specific procedures.

The two most common examples are when a single parent must deploy with the military or when a parent(s) will be traveling for extended periods.  In these examples, the parents do not want to relinquish custody fully, as they will be back-and-forth with their military service or business travel.  We offer a 15% discount to members of the military requiring these services.

Some people start their case on their own, pro se, to save money and hire an attorney if the case becomes overly contested. If your case becomes contested or your need legal advice about your rights under the law, you should talk to a licensed family law attorney about your options.

Some people inquire about starting a temporary custody by extended family action because the child is being physically or sexually abused or neglected.   If this is the case, don’t waste time reaching out to us.  The proper procedure is to report any suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the police and/or call 1-800-96-ABUSE.  If you are dealing with an emergency, call 911.

If you’ve decided that you don’t need legal advice or representation at this time and want to handle your matter pro se, you’re invited to call us to discuss the nonlawyer legal document preparation services that we officer for temporary or concurrent custody by extended family member in the Florida courts.

We charge a flat fee of $795 and offer a payment plan if needed.  This includes the preparation of all documents, online notarizations, eFiling, management of service of process, and preparation of final judgements.  If you only need documents prepared to file yourself, we can offer you a reduced rate.

No. Typically, the filing fee charged by the circuit court is $400.  It will be higher if a summons needs to be issued, and there will be costs associated with obtaining a summons and with service of process.  If you are in a low-income situation, you may qualify to have your filing fees waved if you qualify for a determination of civil indigent status.

Temporary Guardianship in California: The Basics

Temporary guardianship in California means that an adult – someone over the age of 18 – is responsible for a child for a set period of time. The guardian can make decisions related to finances, education, medical care and other important issues, and he or she is responsible for the child’s care, as well.

Temporary Guardianship in California: The Basics

There are several reasons the courts award temporary guardianship to an adult other than a child’s parent. For example, the courts could intervene when a child:

• Is not receiving necessary medical treatment
• Does not have suitable adults in his or her life (such as when the child’s parent is also a minor)
• Has been prevented from going to school
• Cannot be with his or her parents for a variety of reasons, such as incarceration, military service or death

If you want to become a child’s temporary guardian, be prepared to prove that guardianship is necessary for the child’s well-being. Some of the reasons courts will grant a person temporary guardianship involve a parent’s drug addiction or alcoholism, domestic violence situations, deportation or serious illness.

Any adult can ask to become a child’s temporary guardian, provided that he or she is at least 18 years old and has never been convicted of a crime. The courts can take the child’s wishes into account, as well. Grandparents, aunts or uncles, siblings and other relatives may petition to be a guardian, as can family friends and people who know and love the child.

How Do You Get Temporary Guardianship in California?

A child’s biological parents can give you temporary guardianship – but sometimes the courts step in and award someone temporary guardianship of a child without the parents’ consent. For most people, the best course of action is to talk to an attorney about this type of guardianship (even with the parents’ consent), because it’s a very serious matter and affects parental rights.

In order for the court to appoint someone as a child’s legal guardian, the judge presiding over the case must be satisfied that it’s in the child’s best interests.

How Long Does Temporary Guardianship Last in California?

Temporary guardianship only lasts for a certain period of time – usually not longer than 6 months. If the child still needs a guardian after the temporary order expires, you can start the temporary guardianship process again or file for permanent guardianship through the court.

Custody and Temporary Guardianship

When you’re granted temporary guardianship of a child, you assume all the legal rights and responsibilities of being a parent. The biological parents’ rights are suspended while the guardianship order is in place – they cannot make decisions for the child. (It’s important to know that parental rights are not terminated, as in permanently taken away, with a temporary guardianship order. They’re only suspended for as long as the order lasts. )

As a child’s guardian, you have full legal and physical custody of the child. You make decisions about:

• You decide where the child should attend school, and you’re entitled to all the child’s school records.
• Living situation. You determine where the child lives, although you can’t change the child’s residence to a place outside of California unless the court gives you permission.
• Medical treatment. You’re responsible for meeting the child’s medical needs, and generally, you have the authority to give your consent to his or her medical treatment. However, if the child is 14 or older, you can only consent to surgery on the child if the child agrees or you have a court order for it – except, of course, in emergencies.

You’ll have other responsibilities, too, such as providing for the child financially and taking responsibility for a child’s misconduct. As a guardian, the court might require you to complete counseling or parenting classes, or to get specific services for the child; every case is different, but your attorney can help you understand what needs to happen in your situation.

What About Joint Guardianship?

Joint guardianship is an option when one parent has a serious medical condition and needs another adult to care for his or her child. The guardian still gets to make the same decisions as he or she would under any other circumstances – just in partnership with the child’s biological parent. If the child’s biological parent passes away, the guardian automatically becomes the sole legal guardian of the child.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About Temporary Guardianship in California?

If you need to talk to an attorney about temporary guardianship, we can help you. Call us at 209-546-6246 to schedule a consultation today.

Temporary custody of a child: without deprivation of parental rights, grandmother

In some situations, children are assigned a guardian for a certain period of time. Parents are not deprived of their rights. The initiative may come from both the minor's parents themselves and from guardianship authorities, neighbors, teachers or caregivers. There are two such situations: parents do not cope with their role in the life of the child, or temporarily do not have opportunity to fulfill their parental responsibilities. The Federal Law governs these measures. dated 04/24/2008 N 48-FZ (as amended on 2905.05.2019) “On guardianship and guardianship." Consider situations where temporary custody of a child is needed.

Contents:

• 1 Provisional custody of a child.
• 2 Guardianship at the request of parents
• 3 Rules for registration of guardianship without deprivation of parental rights
• 4 Documents for temporary guardianship.
• 5 Conclusion
  • 5.1 Similar articles

Provisional custody of a child.

When one or both parents use alcohol, drugs, abuse or neglect their children, the law requires that the rights of minors be protected.

Children must be supervised, they must be looked after, they must be educated. If parents cannot provide them with optimal living conditions, the guardianship authorities will take care of this.

In Russia, the legislation does everything to protect the rights of minors, including a policy of loyalty to parents.

Children and parents will not be separated unreasonably. And the guardianship authorities, having learned about the improper care of the child, will not immediately take extreme measures.

They will appoint a temporary guardian for the children, and will talk to the parents, explain under what conditions the child will be returned to the family.

Six months will be given to correct the situation. In some situations, the period is extended up to 8 months.

In what situations is such a measure prescribed?

1. If the parents left the child in the hospital, kindergarten, and did not return for him.
2. If the neighbors have filed a complaint against the parents for inappropriate conditions for the child.
3. If school teachers applied to the guardianship authorities after learning about the use of violence against children in the family.
4. If other violations were revealed: the child is not fed, not allowed to go home, not looked after. If a child is alone at night on the street, he leads the life of a homeless child.

In order not to place a child in an orphanage, the guardianship authorities will turn to his closest relatives and try to resolve the situation without deprivation of rights.

Separation of a child from a family is already a big stress. If the grandmother takes care of the child, the child will survive this situation without compromising psychological health.

Guardianship at the request of parents

This is a different kind of guardianship. It is carried out differently, and requires a different design. Parents apply to the guardianship authorities with a statement, they themselves find a temporary guardian.

There are situations when parents simply cannot be with their child:

• Due to moving.
• Business trips.
• Diseases.
• Other circumstances.

It is against the law to simply leave a child and leave. Guardianship authorities can find out about this, and deprive such parents of the rights to the child.

Therefore, temporary guardianship is required.

Most often children are trusted by grandmothers.

The grandmother must collect a package of documents, and after checking by the guardianship and guardianship authorities, a decision will be made to transfer the children to a temporary guardian.

Rules for registration of guardianship without deprivation of parental rights

Temporary custody of a child without deprivation of parental rights is different from guardianship on application.

Temporary custody may last six months, and at the request of the parents, the child may be under the care of the grandmother for up to a year.

If circumstances require, then longer. For example, if the parents are undergoing treatment, or are unable to attend due to work. A document serves as confirmation: a certificate from work or from a medical institution.

How to get temporary custody of a child? The consent of the grandmother is required for the implementation of guardianship duties.

Of the documents, only a statement from all family members living with the grandmother about the consent to take the child into the family temporarily is required. Grandmother's documents are also required: a passport.

And temporary guardianship requires a whole list of documents. It is regulated by RF Decree No. 423 of 2009.

Documents for temporary guardianship.

For temporary guardianship, you will need to collect a package of documents :

1. Health certificate.
2. A document confirming the right to housing.
3. Police clearance certificate.
4. Document confirming all income of the temporary guardian.

Other documents are personal papers that need to be photocopy only.

Processing may take 1-2 months, as you will have to undergo an examination for a health certificate.

A police clearance certificate will be prepared for several weeks. Usually it turns out to keep within a month. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the design in advance.

Important! Adoption or permanent custody may require attendance at foster parents' school.

School attendance is desirable but not required for obtaining temporary guardianship. Also, the guardianship authorities cannot require that the living space for the temporary stay of the child be of a certain size.

It is important that the commission evaluates the availability of food in the refrigerator, the cleanliness of the room, and the availability of a bed for the child.

If the guardianship authorities require more than what is required by law, you can file a complaint against their actions, as their actions may affect the timing of the issuance of an order for temporary guardianship at the request of the parents.

This can disrupt plans: a course of treatment or a business trip will not start on time due to the actions of guardianship authorities.

Conclusion

Temporary custody of a child by a grandmother is appointed only after reviewing the entire list of documents. An autobiography is required.

It is compiled in order for the guardianship authorities to assess whether it is possible to entrust the child to this citizen. Like all other documents, an autobiography is necessary, first of all, to ensure the safety of the child.

If the guardian is older than ten years of age, the guardian's written consent to live with a specific guardian will be required. Also, guardianship authorities may request a certificate from the place of study of the child.

To know your rights, check out the full list of documents, it is contained in the Decree of the Russian Federation No. 423 of 2009.

Elena Podbelskaya

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Elena Anatolyevna Podbelskaya - editor-in-chief of the portal Rights of families.

Graduated from the bachelor's degree of the State University of Management in Moscow in 2000 - specialization "Management".
Master's degree at SUM in 2002 - specialization "Jurisprudence".

Mamadyshsky municipal district

February 14, 2020, Friday

The child is obliged to live with his legal representatives and not only upon registration, but also in deed. If the legal representative lives separately, then the child is unprotected. a relative cannot, if necessary, protect the child and defend his interests, for example, give consent to medical intervention, etc.

Federal Law No. 48 "On guardianship and guardianship".

Section 12. Preliminary guardianship.

1. In cases where, in the interests of an incapacitated or incompletely capable citizen, he must immediately appoint a guardian or custodian, the guardianship and guardianship authority has the right to adopt an act on the temporary appointment of a guardian or custodian (an act on preliminary guardianship or guardianship), including when removal of a child from parents or persons replacing them, on the basis of Article 77 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation and the inappropriateness of placing a child in an organization for orphans and children left without parental care.

5. Preliminary guardianship or guardianship is terminated if before the expiration of six months from the date of adoption of act on the temporary appointment of a guardian or custodian, the temporarily appointed guardian or custodian is not appointed by the general procedure as a guardian or custodian. In the presence of exceptional circumstances the specified period may be extended up to eight months. If the body of guardianship and guardianship has appointed a person who performed duties by virtue of preliminary guardianship or guardianship within the established period in accordance with the general procedure, the rights and obligations of the guardian or trustee shall be deemed to have arisen from the moment the act on the temporary appointment of the guardian or trustee is adopted.

Article 13 when, for valid reasons, they will not be able to fulfill their parental duties, indicating a specific person. The act of the body of guardianship and guardianship on the appointment of a guardian or custodian at the request of the parents must indicate the period of validity of the guardian or custodian.