Professional Guardian Certification Program

Duties and Responsibilities of a Certified Professional Guardian (CPG)

A guardian is one who is has been appointed by the Superior Court to act for a person whom the superior court has found to be incapacitated. The court may appoint a guardian of the person, a guardian of the estate, or a guardian of the person and the estate, depending on the needs and capabilities of the incapacitated person. In general, a guardian is responsible for the individual’s "care, custody, and control," while considering and respecting the individual’s preferences. Guardianship of the Person and/or Estate can be limited in any manner that the court believes to be appropriate (RCW 11.88.010 [2]). In those instances, the powers of the guardian are limited to those specified in the court order and the limitations are reflected in the Letters of Guardianship issued by the Clerk of the Court.