New Jersey Statutes 3B:12-25. Appointment of guardian
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 3B:12-25
- Domestic partner: means a domestic partner as defined in section 3 of P. See New Jersey Statutes 3B:1-1
- 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
- Heirs: means those persons, including, but not limited to, the surviving spouse, the domestic partner and the descendants of the decedent, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent. 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
- Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
The Superior Court may determine the incapacity of an alleged incapacitated person and appoint a guardian for the person, guardian for the estate or a guardian for the person and estate. Letters of guardianship shall be granted to the spouse or domestic partner as defined in section 3 of P.L.2003, c.246 (C. 26:8A-3), if the spouse is living with the incapacitated person as man and wife or as a domestic partner as defined in section 3 of P.L.2003, c.246 (C. 26:8A-3) at the time the incapacitation arose, or to the incapacitated person’s heirs, or friends, or thereafter first consideration shall be given to the Office of the Public Guardian for Elderly Adults in the case of adults within the statutory mandate of the office, or if none of them will accept the letters or it is proven to the court that no appointment from among them will be to the best interest of the incapacitated person or the estate, then to any other proper person as will accept the same, and if applicable, in accordance with the professional guardianship requirements of P.L.2005, c.370 (C. 52:27G-32 et al.). Consideration may be given to surrogate decision-makers, if any, chosen by the incapacitated person before the person became incapacitated by way of a durable power of attorney pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2000, c.109 (C. 46:2B-8.4), health care proxy or advance directive.
The Office of the Public Guardian for Elderly Adults shall have the authority to not accept guardianship in cases determined by the public guardian to be inappropriate or in conflict with the office.
Amended 2005, c.304, s.13; 2005, c.370, s.13.