There are certain circumstances in which the court will deem it necessary to appoint a guardian to a child under 18 years old after guardianship hearing.

This may be the case if both of the child’s parents have died or if for some reason the child’s parents are incapable of raising the child. Guardians are often relatives of the child, but not always.

Parents may have stipulated in a will who is to be a child’s guardian should the parents both pass away before the child has reached adulthood. The adult who is appointed to care for the child is known as the guardian and the child is known as the ward.

Types of Guardianship Forms in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, guardianship can take one of three different guardianship forms:

General Guardianship

The first guardianship forms in Oklahoma is general guardianship. In a general guardianship situation, the guardian has complete control over the minor child and in some cases the property belonging to the minor child.

Limited Guardianship

The second form of guardianship in Oklahoma is limited guardianship. In limited guardianship, the guardian is granted partial control over the minor child and in some cases the property belonging to the minor child.

Special Guardianship

The third form of guardianship form in Oklahoma is special guardianship. This type of guardianship is used only in certain situations in which there is an emergency and a guardian is needed only for a short duration. This type of guardianship in general will last for fewer than 10 days.

There are times when the guardianship forms in Oklahoma will not or cannot perform their duties. If this is the case, the guardianship will be terminated. In addition, the child’s life circumstances may change the make the appointment of a guardian no longer necessary. If this happens, the court must issue an order ending the guardianship.

Being the guardian of a child can be a rewarding experience. In the end, it is important for those who may one day be appointed guardians to understand how the process is handled in Oklahoma.