What is a guardianship?

A guardianship is established when a Superior Court, Probate Part judge declares a person incapacitated and appoints a guardian to oversee the incapacitated individual’s well-being and/or financial affairs. Incapacitated individuals are adults impaired by mental illness or deficiency, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic alcoholism, developmental disability or other causes, to the extent that they cannot govern themselves and manage their affairs.