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Court Appointment of a Temporary Guardian

Produced by Jeff Wolf (Massachusetts Law Reform Institute) with help from Veronica Serrato (Volunteer Lawyers Project)
Reviewed July, 2011

What if there is an emergency and the child needs a guardian appointed right away?

You can file a Verified Motion for Appointment of Temporary Guardian of a Minor if there is an emergency so that any delay in appointing a Guardian will cause immediate and substantial harm to the health, safety or welfare of the Minor, and no other person has authority to act in the circumstance.

If the Court grants the motion, it issues an Order Appointing Temporary Guardian of a Minor.

How long does a temporary guardianship of a minor last?

An Appointment of Temporary Guardian can last up to 90 days.

If there is a good reason, the Court can extend the temporary guardian appointment for additional 90 day periods.

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