Procedures for filing for Guardianship are changing in New Jersey as a result of amendments to the Court rules that were effective 9-1-2016. The Rules are at N.J.R. 4:86-1 to 4:86-10. Guardianship petitions now must be initiated using a specific set of forms that have been prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts. A Guardianship Monitoring Program is being established in each county. After the pleadings are filed, the petitioner must complete a mandatory guardianship training program before the court hearing date, which includes watching a certain video about the Guardian’s many duties and responsibilities. The alleged incapacitated person must attend the hearing unless his/her court appointed attorney and the petitioner’s attorney both certify that s/he would be unable to attend due to physical or mental incapacity. Once the Judgment is entered, the Guardian must qualify as Guardian within thirty days. The physicians’ reports must specifically delineate the areas of functional decision-making in which the individual retains capacity.
There continue to be thorny legal issues that will come up in these cases. Whether planning the care for a senior or a young person with disabilities, The law is bending towards limited guardianship, and sometimes it isn’t patently obvious that the individual lacks capacity in all respects. If the person who seeks to become guardian cannot be bonded due to their own prior financial difficulties or lack of personal resources, there may be a need to find somebody else to serve as guardian. The petitioner may need to obtain court permission for sale of real estate, or for placement of a mortgage on the property to pay off debt or support the individual in his/her home. The petitioner may wish to get court authorization for Medicaid eligibility planning including transfer of assets to spouse or other family members. The Verified Complaint, Order for Hearing, Physicians’ Certifications and Judgment are in a format that requires careful reading and additional legal drafting, in order to be sure that everything the petitioner knows and everything the petitioner seeks can be reflected in the forms that are submitted to the County Surrogate.
Call us for advice and representation in guardianship matters …732-382-6070