General information
Guardianship involves the court appointing someone to make decisions for another person about their health and welfare such as their living situation or medical care because the other person is not capable of managing their own affairs. Conservatorship involves the court appointing someone to handle the finances and property issues of another person who cannot manage their own affairs. Sometimes both of these are necessary and sometimes only one is necessary. The process is the same whether you are asking for only guardianship, only conservatorship, or both.
- Introduction to Guardianship and Conservatorship, Alternatives, and Overview of Petitioning from the State Court
- Adult Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements from Washington LawHelp
- Alternatives to Guardianship: Supported Decision Making Agreements (SDM) from Washington LawHelp
- Less Restrictive Alternatives to Adult Guardianships infographic from King County Law Library.
- Adult Guardianships and Less Restrictive Alternatives webinar from Beresford Booth PLLC
- An Introduction to Adult Guardianships webinar from King County Law Library. Note that there may be some procedural differences between King and Clark counties.
The State Court website has information about live and recorded webinars to learn more.
Forms and instructions
Washington state's official mandatory pattern forms for adult guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective arrangements cases are on the State Court website.
- Request an Emergency Guardianship and/or Conservatorship
- Request a Guardianship, Conservatorship, or Other Protective Arrangement
- Close a Guardianship or Conservatorship
Checklists and instructions that may be a helpful addition to the official court forms:
The State Court has information and forms for guardianship and/or conservatorship reporting:
If there are problems with the guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective arrangement:
- How to Modify, Terminate or Complain about a Guardianship from Disability Rights Washington
- File a Guardianship and/or Conservatorship Complaint from the State Court
- A Notice of Right to Object to Guardian or Conservator Plan from the Clark County Superior Court Clerk's Office
Self-help guardianship/conservatorship kits from King County
The Clark County Law Library does not currently sell self-help guardianship kits. If you have questions about either of the kits below, please contact the King County Law Library. Clark County law librarians cannot help you decide if a particular kit is the correct one for your situation.
The King County Law Library has kits for either regular guardianship/conservatorship of an adult or emergency guardianship/conservatorship of an adult. While these kits are based on state laws, they are designed for King County and include local rules and forms for that county.
There are some differences in local forms and procedures in Clark County, so you need to customize or obtain forms or modify procedures to remove information related to King County rules and to comply with local court rules for Clark County. You should consult with an attorney if you have any questions about the process or how to customize the forms within the kit.
Additional resources
If the proposed guardian needs a "background check" they can get a WATCH report.
Resources that are available from the State Court include:
- A Guardianship Portal with information about the guardianship process and programs as well as a search tool for finding a guardian.
- The required Lay Guardian Training for Adults and Conservators that can help you understand and carry out your duties and responsibilities as a guardian
The Family and Volunteer Guardian's Handbook answers some questions about the process. It was written for the prior law but offers some valuable general information.
The Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program has a program to assist you with a guardianship if the person in need of guardianship meets the income qualifications. They can be reached at 360.695.5313.