Guardianship

The Davidson County Social Services (DSS) provides Guardianship services for adults who have been declared incompetent by the court and who have no one else to serve as guardian. DSS also assists families with navigating the judicial system to determine competency.

Responsibility of Guardian

Unless specific limits are set by the court, the Guardian of the Person is responsible for all aspects of a ward's personal welfare including where the ward will live and consents for medical treatment. Decisions regarding the appropriate course of action are made with consultation from experts (physicians, psychologists, attorneys, et al.). The Department of Social Services does not manage the property, estate, and business affairs of wards as the court appoints a Guardian of the Estate to fulfill these duties.

Types of Guardianship

General Guardian

Guardian of both the estate and the person.

Guardian of the Estate

Guardian appointed solely for the purpose of managing the property, estate, and business affairs of a ward.

Guardian of the Person

Guardian appointed solely for the purpose of performing duties relating to the care, custody, and control of a ward.

Interim Guardian

Temporary guardian appointed prior to adjudication of incompetence when the situation requires immediate intervention to address conditions of imminent risk of harm to the person's physical well-being or to the person's estate.