Free legal guardianship clinic scheduled for next Friday

Because guardianship is one of the most asked about legal matters within the Yuma County Superior Court, the Yuma County Law Library will be holding another free series of informational clinics on the topic later this month.

The upcoming Legal Guardianship Clinic is designed to provide individuals seeking to establish guardianship of a minor or disabled adult with an overview of the basic information they may need and what their responsibilities will be.

“This program explains the steps involved in guardianships for minors and for adults and gives a general idea of the time frame and the costs involved,” said attorney Jeanne Vatterott-Gale. “The better informed a self-represented litigant is, the smoother the process.”

Organizers said the clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on June 23 at the Yuma Justice Center, 250 W. 2nd St. It is also being co-sponsored by the Yuma County Bar Association; the Law Office of Hunt, Walsma and Gale; and the Yuma County Superior Courts.

The Law Library is offering the clinic as part of an ongoing series of sessions to assist court patrons who choose to represent themselves with all types of cases. The effort is in support of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Strategic Agenda to increase access to the courts.

Being a legal guardian gives a person the authority to make significant decisions for a loved one who is incapable of being responsible for their own welfare, in matters such as their medical care, making living arrangements for them and their finances.

“Family members are often called upon to care for minors whose parents are unable to care for the children for long periods of time,” Vatterott-Gale said. “To properly care for those children, the caretakers must take the children to doctors and enroll them in school or daycare programs. The caregivers must show proof of the proper authority. “

Vatterott-Gale added that sometimes an order establishing guardianship will be required, although sometimes other legal documents will suffice. While no two cases are exactly the same, she said the free informational clinic will give examples of when a guardianship is appropriate and when a power of attorney from the child’s parents will suffice.

Guardianship is most often associated with minors who are being cared for on a temporary basis, the care of an incapacitated adult and for parents who have a child with developmental disabilities who is turning 18 years of age and will be considered an adult.

“Some adults are, or become incapacitated due to developmental disabilities, or medical conditions such as dementia. Those adults are not able to make responsible decisions about their own personal care or medical care,” Vatterott-Gale said. “A guardian is someone who is appointed to take care of an incapacitated adult to ensure that he or she is living in a safe environment, obtaining all governmental benefits available to them and is not vulnerable to abuse from others.”

Yuma County courts are overburdened, which results in long delays for the public, and for attorneys. As such, Vatterott-Gale said having an understanding of the process reduces the likelihood that selfrepresented litigants will have to return to court multiple times to obtain the relief they are seeking.

While many cases are best handled by attorneys, sometimes litigants do not have the ability to pay attorney fees. Further, if attendees choose to hire an attorney to assist them, this program will help them understand the process and make better decisions about how to proceed.

Those in attendance will also be given an overview on filling out the various documents associated with guardianship, what they will need to submit to the court, and what costs are associated.

The Law Library is offering the clinic as part of an ongoing series of sessions to assist court patrons with all types of cases. The effort is in support of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Strategic Agenda to increase access to the courts.

One of the advantages of attending the clinic is that all the materials are being handed out free of charge. Any other time, they would need to be purchased from the Law Library’s self-service area.

Other co-sponsors include the Law Office of Alicia Aguirre, Community Legal Services, the Regional Center for Border Health, the law offices of Alicia Aguirre and Sonia Ramirez, and the State Bar of Arizona. The session will also be available in Spanish.

Organizers want to remind those who attend the clinic that the information being presented is not legal advice.

Registration is not required, and anyone interested in attending can call the Law Library at (928) 817-4165 for more information.