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.

The chart below helps explain the courts with guardianship jurisdiction in each 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