The guardianship process can vary significantly by state, court, and judge. Generally, guardianships include five separate court actions: petition, pre-hearing activities, court hearing, monitoring, and termination or transfer. The process begins with interested parties, such as family members or public agencies, petitioning the court for appointment of a guardian. The court is then responsible for ensuring that the alleged incapacitated person's rights to due process are upheld, while making provisions for investigating and gauging the extent of the person’s incapacity. Should the court find the adult to be incapacitated, the judge appoints a guardian and writes an order describing the duration and scope of the guardian's powers and duties. Once a guardian has been appointed, the court is responsible for holding the guardian accountable through monitoring and reporting procedures for the duration of the guardianship. The court has the authority to expand or reduce guardianship orders, remove guardians for failing to fulfill their responsibilities, and terminate guardianships and restore the rights of adults who have regained their capacity.

Guardianship (and conservatorship) matters are the subject of state laws. In most states, guardianships of minors and adults are handled in the courts of general trial jurisdiction as a division within the local municipal or county courts. For example, in the District of Columbia, guardianship issues are handled in the superior court – the general jurisdiction trial court in DC. Each superior court in DC has a number of divisions; e.g. criminal, domestic, civil, and probate.

In some states guardianship cases are handled in separate courts, typically called “probate” courts, which also handle matters involving the administration of the estates of deceased persons. They may also handle cases involving the involuntary treatment of persons with mental illnesses and/or addictive diseases or substance abuse. In some states, probate courts handle adoptions, domestic relations cases, and juvenile cases. In addition, in many states, the probate courts may issue marriage licenses, weapons carry licenses, and automobile tags, administer oaths to and approve the bonds of elected county officials, supervise the elections at the county level, etc. In other states, courts in urban areas are organized differently than in rural counties.

Following is the guardianship statute, by state:

Specialized Probate Courts

• Alabama  Code of Ala. §12-13-1

• Connecticut  Conn. Gen. Stat. §45a-98

• Georgia  O.C.G.A. §15-9-30

• Maine  4 M.R.S. §251

• Maryland  MD. Estates & Trusts Code Ann. §2-101

• Massachusetts  A.L.M. G.L .ch. 215 §3

• Michigan  M.C.L. §205.210

• New Hampshire  R.S.A. §547.3

• New Mexico  N.M. Stat. Ann. §45-1-302

• New York  NY CLS SCPA §§201 & 205

• Ohio  O.R.C. §2101.01

• Rhode Island  R.I. Gen. Laws §§8-9-9

• South Carolina  S.C. Code Ann. §§62-1-301 & 302

• Texas (urban areas only)  Tex. Prob. Code §4A

• Vermont  4 V.S.A. §272

General Jurisdiction Trial Courts

• Alaska  Alaska Stat. § 22.10.020

• Arizona  A.R.S. §14-1302

• Arkansas  A.C.A. §28-1-104

• California  Cal. Prob. Code §§800, 7050

• Colorado  C.R.S. §§13-6-103 & 13-9-105

• Delaware  10 Del.C. §341

• District of Columbia  D.C. Code §11-921

• Florida  Fla. Stat. §26-012

• Hawaii  H.R.S. §603-21.6

• Idaho  Idaho Code §1-2208

• Illinois  Illinois Const., Art.VI §9

• Indiana  Burns Ind. Code Ann. §§33-28-1-2 & 33—31-1-10

• Iowa  Iowa Code §633

• Kansas  K.S.A. §20-301

• Kentucky  K.R.S. §24A-120

• Louisiana  LA. Constitution Art. V, §16

• Minnesota  Minn. Stat §484.011

• Mississippi  Miss. Code. Ann §9-5-83

• Missouri  §§478.070 & 461.076 R.S. MO

• Montana  Mont Code Anno. §3-4-302

• Nebraska  R.R.S. Neb §30-2211

• Nevada  Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann §132.116§

• New Jersey  NJ Stat. §3B:2-2

• North Carolina  N.C. Gen. Stat. §47-1

• North Dakota  N.D. Cent. Code §30.1-02-02

• Oklahoma  58 Okl. Stat. §1

• Oregon  O.R.S. §111.075

• Pennsylvania  42 Pa. C. S. §§912 & 3131

• South Dakota  S.D. Codified Laws §§6-6-8 & 29-1-301

• Tennessee  Tenn. Code Ann. §§30-1-301, 32-2-101

• Utah  Utah Code Ann. §§75-1-302

• Virginia  Va. Code Ann. §64-1-75

• Washington  Rev. Code Wash. 11.96A-040

• West Virginia  W.Va. Code §41-5-4

• Wisconsin  Wis. Stat. §§753.03 & §856.01

• Wyoming  Wyo. Stat. §2-2-101