Frequently Asked Questions

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No. A petition for the appointment of a guardian of the estate of the minor should be filed in the state where the minor lives.

Sometimes, waiting is possible. For example, if the asset consists of the proceeds of an insurance policy and the company has a procedure for holding the assets, waiting may be an option. If the minor is seventeen and will emancipate soon, waiting may be an option. Each situation is different. Consult counsel for options.

A minor who is fourteen or older has the right to nominate a guardian.

The parents of the minor have priority under the law in the District of Columbia to serve as the guardian of a minor, and a custodial parent is more likely to be appointed as a guardian than a noncustodial parent. If custody of the child has been granted to a nonparent by the Court, that custodian is more likely to be appointed than the parents.

Other possibilities depend on the facts of the situation. Consult an attorney for advice.

Bond protects the assets of the minor. A guardian of a minor must be bonded in the amount of the assets that the guardian will be holding plus one year’s worth of income from those assets. If the guardian misappropriates the assets, the bonding company will reimburse the estate of the minor in the amount that was mishandled up to the value of the bond. Superior Court is not likely to appoint anyone who cannot obtain bond as a guardian.

Yes. A Petition for Authority To Invest or for Approval of Investment Plan or Program and documentation in support of that request can be filed for the Court’s consideration.

Notices do not have to be sent to parents or custodians. However, a parent or custodian can ask the Court to be allowed to participate as a party by filing a Petition for Permission To Participate. If the Court grants the request, the parent or custodian then has the right to receive copies of all documents that are filed.

The following pleadings must be verified to be filed in the Probate Division:

1. All Petitions - SCR-PD 2(b) and 3
2. Complaints filed in Probate Matters - SCR-PD 107(a), and 208(a)
3. Accounts - DC Code 20-721
4. Inventories - DC Code 20-711
5. Guardian Reports - SCR-PD 328
6. Assignments - SCR-PD 120 and 420
7. Claims - DC Code 20-905(a)
8. Affidavits of Mailing and Non-Mailing in Standard Probate - SCR-PD 403(a)(8)
9. Any Affidavit - SCR-CIV 9
10. Verification and Certificate of Notice - SCR-PD 403(b)(3)
11. Certificate of Completion - SCR-PD 426 According to SCR-CIV 11, no other pleadings
need be verified. Accordingly, motions, answers, responses and oppositions do not need to be verified.

Yes, without prior Court approval. The invoice and proof of payment must be attached to the account.