Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 3B:12-52

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Estate: means all of the property of a decedent, minor or incapacitated individual, trust or other person whose affairs are subject to this title as the property is originally constituted and as it exists from time to time during administration. See New Jersey Statutes 3B:1-1
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Guardian: means a person who has qualified as a guardian of the person or estate of a minor or incapacitated individual pursuant to testamentary or court appointment, but excludes one who is merely a guardian ad litem. See New Jersey Statutes 3B:1-1
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
In particular, and without qualifying the provisions of N.J.S. 3B:12-51, a guardian of the person of a minor has the following powers and duties, except as modified by order of the court:

a. He must take reasonable care of his ward’s personal effects and institute an action for the appointment of a guardian of his ward’s estate if necessary to protect it;

b. He may receive periodically money payable for the support of the ward to the ward’s parent, guardian or custodian under the terms of any statutory benefit or insurance system, or any private contract, devise, trust, conservatorship or custodianship. Any sums so received shall be applied to the ward’s current needs for support, care and education in the exercise of a reasonable discretion, with or without court order, with due regard to the duty or ability of any person to support or provide for the ward and with or without regard to any other funds, income or property which may be available for that purpose. He must exercise due care to conserve any excess funds for the ward’s future needs unless a guardian has been appointed for the estate of the ward, in which case the excess shall be paid over at least annually to that guardian. He may institute an action to compel the performance by any person of a duty to support the ward or to pay sums for the welfare of the ward;

c. He is empowered to facilitate the ward’s education, social, or other activities and to authorize medical or other professional care, treatment, or advice. He is not liable by reason of this consent for injury to the ward resulting from the negligence or acts of third persons unless it would have been illegal for a parent to have consented. He may consent to the marriage or adoption of his ward or to his ward’s military service.

L.1981, c. 405, s. 3B:12-52, eff. May 1, 1982.