Ohio’s Guardianship System to be Revamped

State representatives in Ohio have drafted legislation to reform the state’s guardianship system, using problems uncovered in a series of stories in The Columbus Dispatch newspaper as a guide.  “This is about protecting the state’s most vulnerable people.  We want to hold those in charge of others responsible and ensure they know what’s expected of them.”

House Bill 624 calls for a ward’s bill of rights.  The bill would also require probate courts to give guardians a handbook that specifies how to care for a ward, manage assets and talk with doctors. 

In May, an investigation by The Dispatch revealed that unprincipled lawyers and selfish family members who are court-appointed guardians for people had been deemed incompetent to handle affairs by the probate judge.  The investigation found there were no statewide standards and that many courts lacked necessary safeguards or ignored their own rules. 

The bill proposes to codify 19 separate rights.  First, a ward must be “treated with dignity and respect.”  Other important rights for wards would force courts to implement other changes as well. 

The bill has bipartisan support and is expected to sail through the Ohio House and Senate. 

See Lucas Sullivan, Josh Jarman, and Mike Wagner, Bill Would Spell Out Wards’ Legal Rights in Guardianship System, The Columbus Dispatch, Oct. 5, 2014.