Office of Public Guardianship

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• Questions & Answers
• Resource Links
• Educational Resources

Questions and Answers

The link below will take you to various websites providing information about guardianship:
Washington LawHelp

File a Petition for Guardianship

Guardians are appointed by Superior Court judges or court commissioners. Appointments are made in response to petitions filed in the Superior Court. Any interested person may file a petition; the person who files it need not want to be appointed guardian. The person filing a petition for guardianship assumes no responsibility for the alleged incapacitated person.

Need to file a petition?

Call the CLEAR Hotline -- Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral system
401 Second Avenue S, Suite 407 , Seattle, WA 98104
1-888-201-1014

To learn whether you qualify for free assistance from Northwest Justice Project or a legal services program in your community:

• If you are low-income and have a non-criminal legal problem outside King County, call CLEAR at 1-888-201-1014 weekdays from 9:15 a.m. until 12:15 p.m., and Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. until 6:15 p.m.
• If you are low-income and have a non-criminal legal problem in King County, call 211 for information and a referral. 211 is available to take calls Monday through Friday from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm. Service is not available on Saturday and Sunday. The local number is (206) 461-3200, and the toll-free number, which may be useful when calling from a pay phone, is 1-877-211-WASH (9724). 211 works with a language line to provide interpreters as needed at no cost to callers. Deaf and hearing-impaired callers can call 1-800-833-6384 or 711 to be connected to a relay operator at no cost, who will then connect them with 211. Information on legal service providers may also be accessed through 211's website at www.resourcehouse.org. Self-help legal information can be found online at Washington LawHelp.
• If you are 60 or over you may call CLEAR*Sr at 1-888-387-7111 regardless of income.
• TTY - 1-888-201-9737

CLEAR will connect you with the appropriate office in each pilot county. The following programs have agreed to file petitions for guardianships when resources permit:

NWJ Aberdeen Office - serves Grays Harbor County

NWJ Port Angeles Office - serves Clallam County

NWJ Wenatchee Office - serves Okanogan County

Spokane County Volunteer Lawyers Program - serves Spokane County

Resource Links

• Enabling Statute for the Office of Public Guardianship
  
   
• Professional Guardian Certification Program

Educational Resources

• Days of Our Guardianship - AOC Webcast June 11th, 2008
  Click here to launch the live webcast interface