Every day the lives of older adults are profoundly and negatively impacted in both the criminal and civil justice systems based on mistaken assumptions and inadequate assessments of their capacity to make decisions for themselves. In order to raise greater awareness of these issues and improve how elder justice professionals approach these issues, the Department.. read more →

This promotional video is presented as an introduction to the “Guardianship Practice: A Step-By-Step Guide” Video Series. This video series was presented by noted Certified Elder Law Attorney, Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq., as part of Elder Law College Lecture program. The Elder Law College program is sponsored annually by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing.. read more →

The National Center on Law & Elder Rights recently published the following 10 Tips for Guardians of Older Adults: When courts appoint a family member or friend as a guardian or conservator of an adult, the guardian is sometimes left with minimal training on their new role. The family member or friend must step into the.. read more →

A step-by-step guide to initiating a guardianship action in New Jersey follows. Documents To Be Filed: A guardianship action is initiated by submitting the following documents to the Surrogate for filing, with the required filing fee: Order Fixing Guardianship Hearing Verified Complaint Certification of Assets Certifications of Physician or Psychologist Case Information Statement Each of.. read more →

The Supreme Court of the State of North Dakota ruled that a lower court properly rejected a preference expressed by an incapacitated person for the appointment of a guardian when the incapacitated person could not provide the basis for the expressed preference. In the Matter of B.K.J, an Incapacitated Person, 2015 ND 191 (Docket No… read more →

Decision-making capacity involves four (4) key abilities: the ability to understand information relevant to a decision, to retain the information relevant to the decision, to use the information relevant to the decision as part of the decision-making process and to communicate the decision once it is made. But since decision-making capacity involves mental abilities, how.. read more →

Even after a guardian is appointed for an incapacitated person, our courts will seek to preserve the incapacitated person’s right to self-determination, to the extent possible. This challenging task was addressed by the New Jersey Supreme Court in M.R., 135 N.J. 155 (1994): Unless they endanger themselves or others, competent people ordinarily can choose what.. read more →

All New Jersey guardians are appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey. A “guardian” is a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding the person or property of an incapacitated adult. A person is “incapacitated” under the law if he or she “is impaired by reason of mental illness or mental deficiency.. read more →

The court establishing a guardianship in New Jersey has an obligation to ascertain that the guardian, once appointed, is functioning in the best interests of the ward. To assist guardians in the performance of their duties, the New Jersey Judiciary, Surrogates’ Liaison Committee, has published a booklet entitled “Manual for Guardians” which provides an overview.. read more →

Reversing state agency and appeals court rulings, the highest court of the State of Washington ruled that a guardian cannot be charged with neglect based on the guardian’s good-faith decision to provide care for the ward in her home rather than place her in a nursing home against the ward’s wishes. Raven v. Department of Social and.. read more →