The Probate Court will be involved in the appointment of a guardian and will appoint an attorney for the respondent. Community Mental Health will assist you in obtaining an evaluation of the alleged developmentally disabled person, and the evaluator will attend the court hearing to testify regarding the results of the evaluation. 

 

Probate Court employees are not caseworkers. If assistance, family counseling, or a caseworker is necessary, you will need to contact Community Mental Health.

 

 

 

To become a guardian you must:

 

-          File a completed Petition for Appointment of Guardian, Individual with Alleged Developmental Disability” There are no filing fees to file the petition.

-          There are psychological reports that will need to be completed and filed with the court along with the petition. Community Mental Health will assist you in obtaining those reports.

-          The person who needs a guardian must be residing in Ionia County and be at least 18 years old.

-          The death certificate of either parent (if applicable) need to be included with the petition.

 

It has been the practice in Ionia County that Community Mental Health will assist you in filing the petition, scheduling a hearing, and serving all the appropriate paperwork. They will assist you in obtaining all the necessary testing, and they will appear at court on your behalf to testify at the hearing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the hearing, the following is necessary:

 

-          The alleged developmentally disabled person must appear at the hearing unless you’ve obtained and file with the court a Waiver of Attendance signed by a physician.

-          The proposed guardian and proposed standby guardian must appear at the hearing.

-          The petitioner must appear at the hearing and offer testimony as to why he/she feels a guardian is necessary.

-          If a guardian is appointed, he/she must sign an Acceptance of Appointment that day after the hearing.