Lynnwood, Bellevue, and Seattle-Area Guardianship Lawyers
Sometimes life takes turns we do not anticipate. A debilitating stroke, an accident resulting in severe injuries, a money award to a minor, or any number of health, financial or life circumstances may bring about a situation requiring the administration of another person's affairs.
It would only take a few hours of your time for you to prepare for such unanticipated situations in advance. We at the law offices of Hickman Menashe, P.S., can draft powers of attorney for you, your spouse, and your parents or other adult loved ones. Those powers will allow for the efficient management of one's medical and financial affairs and day-to-day living.
The advantage of advance preparation is that the attorney in fact, as the person named in the power of attorney is called, can make decisions and manage finances without court oversight. You, thus, save time, delay, and potential headaches.
Sometimes, however, circumstances dictate that a guardian must be appointed
A guardianship is always a last resort, as it restricts the rights and freedoms of the individual in need of care. This is of particular significance in the case of an adult.
However, when a situation arises, and there has been no contingency pre-planning, a legal guardian must be established. This is done through the courts. Typically, a relative or other concerned person files a petition asking that the alleged incapacitated person, the person who will be subject to the guardianship, be declared in need of a guardianship. The petitioner may also petition for his or her own appointment as guardian.
Once the guardianship is established, the guardian will have duties that will vary with the nature of the case. In a minor guardianship, the guardian may have to invest money. In an elder guardianship, the guardian may need to see to it that all the necessities of life and medical care are provided. The court oversees initial plans and future annual accounts and reports.
Sometimes, in very difficult cases, another court process, called a vulnerable adult petition, is filed instead of or in addition to a guardianship to insure that a vulnerable adult receives necessary protection against abuse or exploitation.
Bill and Jacob will guide you each step of the way with:
- Education about the guardianship process and responsibilities
- Assessment of the needs of the allegedly incapacitated person
- Petitioning the court for appointment of a guardian
- Assistance with required follow-up reporting
Contact us today if you face a guardianship situation.
Hickman Menashe, P.S.Phone: 425-744-5658 | Fax: 425-744-6078 | |
Main Office:4211 Alderwood Mall Boulevard | Satellite Office: |
The law firm of Hickman Menashe, P.S., provides representation with regard to estate and incapacity planning, long-term care and Medicaid planning, special needs trusts, Social Security (SSI/SSDI) disability appeals, guardianship, probate and estate administration, and trust administration. We serve clients from Snohomish, King, and Skagit counties and elsewhere from across Washington from a main office in Lynnwood, which is close to Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Stevens, Edmonds, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, Monroe, Snohomish, and Marysville, and a satellite office in Bellevue, which is close to Mercer Island, Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Renton, and Tukwila. | |