Welcome to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma's guide to free legal help in Oklahoma. (2024)

Purpose of Guardianship of a Child

Oklahoma law states that "when it appears necessary or convenient," a guardian may be appointed over the person or property of a minor. A judge decides what is "necessary or convenient" in each individual situation, focusing on the overall well-being of the child. The most common example of "necessary and convenient" is a current legal guardian's inability to care for the child.

There are a number of reasons you may wish to be the guardian of a minor.

• Enrolling a minor child in school
• Authorizing proper care for the minor child-- including day care, medical treatment, and food stamps
• Receiving state benefits for a child living in your home, over whom you do not already have legal custody

How Obtain Guardianship of a Child

To become a guardian, you must:

• file paperwork with the court clerk;
• ask a judge to appoint you the guardian of a minor child; and,
• go to a hearing and show the judge why you should be appointed as the child’s guardian.

Filing A Petition For Guardianship Of A Child

The paperwork begins with a "verified petition" which gives the judge information about the case which is required by law. For example, the petition must be made by a relative or other person on behalf of the minor. Information about the child, with whom and where he has been living, the reason it is necessary, the parents circ*mstances; whether the children have any Native American ancestry or the parents are in the military.

An investigation, called a Home Study is conducted to determine the background and fitness of the prospective guardians. The court will balance the need for this home study with the prospective guardians' ability to pay for this home study and may not require the home study.

There is information for you to read, you can print a copy of the questionnaire to help gather the materials you will need.

Forms and information provided by the Oklahoma Bar Association:

• Handbook for Guardians of Minor Children (Forms included)
• Emergency Guardianship Instructions (Minors)
• Emegency Guardianship Forms (Minors)
• Grant of Custody of Abandoned Minors to Qualified Relative (OSCN forms)

Where the Guardianship case is filed
A guardianship action may be brought in the district court of the county where the:

• child lives; or,
• proposed guardian lives, filed by a member of the family.

Information needed to create the court papers online- Gather the information on the questionnaire
You will need this information to answer questions which will complete the court forms.
Here is a list of the information you need to have with you when you fill out the paperwork or go through the online computer program:

• name of the county where you are filing the petition.
• name of any other person you are asking to be a co-guardian
• about each child:
  • full name, first, middle, last legal name
  • birth date, day, month, year
  • social security number
  • whether or not the child is a member of an Indian tribe; and if so, the name of the tribe
  • whether or not a parent is in the military
  • child’s current address
  • city and state in which the child has lived in the past 5 years
  • names of people with whom the child has lived during the past 5 years
  • other court proceedings involving each child (court (district or juvenile), county, case number)
• about the parents:
  • full legal names
  • addresses, if possible
• THREE types of background checks for you and anyone living in the household 18 years of age or older
  • a national fingerprint-based criminal background check (like an FBI check); and,
  • a state of Oklahoma background check including the Sex Offenders Registration Act database (like the OSBI check); and,
  • a search of the child abuse and neglect information system maintained for review by authorized entities by the Department of Human Services.

Notice Required for Guardianship of a Child
Notice within ten (10) days of the hearing by mail must be made to:

• any living parents;
• if no parents are living, then to one of the then-living grandparents who is not related to the person who wants to be the guardian;
• if there is no living parent or grandparent, or if the address is not known, then notice is required of an adult relative in the county where the petition was filed.
• if the minor is fourteen (14) years old, the child must be notified of the hearing for the appointment of guardian.
• the child's tribal affiliation and the BIA Regional Office, if the child has Indian blood.

Native American Children

• If the child (or children) is of Native American decent, and has a Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal affiliation card, you must notify the Tribe.
• If either natural parent is of Native American descent and has a Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal affiliation card, you must notify BOTH the TRIBE AND THE BIA AREA OFFICE:

  • the tribe or tribes, if more than one,

    • Current list of Designated Tribal Agents for Notices

    • Listing of the BIA Regions and Designated Tribal Agents by Region

      See Also

      letter of requestThe Network of Care Resource Book HeartLine OK, OklahomaGuardianship | Canadian County, OK

  • BIA RegionalOffices for Notifying Tribes

    • Map of the BIA Regions

Nomination of a Minor's Guardian
If the child is fourteen (14) years old, the child may nominate his own guardian; but the judge makes the final decision. If the child is not yet fourteen (14) years old, the court will appoint the guardian for the child.

Expenses of the Child
If the minor child has a parent living or someone is already legally responsible for the support of the child, the person who is already responsible must provide financial support for the expenses of the child. If that person cannot "reasonably afford" such an expense and the child owns property, then that property may be used to support the child as directed by the court. This is determined on a case by case basis by the judge.

Guardianship over a Child Stops when:

• the guardian is removed; or,
• the minor (child) gets married; or,
• the child turns eighteen (18).

Fees and Costs

Background Checks are required for the proposed guardian and every person 18 and older in the household:

Because you will need three (3) different types of background checks, these feees could add up to over $100.

• Get your fingerprint cards at your local police or sheriff's department. This will cost between $10and $20.
• The FBI charges for an Identity History Summary check, plus the cost of mailing the fingerprint cards.
• The OSBI check will cost $20. Select the Name-Based ($15) and the Violent Offender ($2) and Sex Offender ($2) Searches. There is also an "Online Convenience Fee" ($1).

The Oklahoma Department of Human Servicesprovides a form to request the child abuse and neglect information system check. They are estimating up to 4 weeks for processing. There is no cost for this search at this time.(Note: You will have to download the form and open it using Adobe or another program that can open PDF documents)

FBI Fingerprint-based Identity History Summary:

This page explains the process and has a link to an online form to get you started:

Fill out the form online. You must have an email address that you check regularly. You may receive the results by email or regular postal service mail.

You will get a confirmation email with a special number. You must submit your fingerprints by mail with a copy of the confirmation email and the special number the FBI sends you.

There is an $18 fee for the Summary. You can pay by credit card or online service. Someone may pay the fee for you. There is information on the above web site for you to request the fee to be waived if you cannot afford the fee.

You can also download this form (FBI form) and request the FBI background check by mail. This will take longer, up to 4 weeks. You must have this form and fingerprint cards for the guardian, co-guardian and anyone in the household age 19 and over, to complete this check.

OSBI Background Check Fee:

You must have an OSBI background check for each member of the guardians' household age 18 or older. This also applies to co-guardians and his or her household members.

For more information about the OSBI Criminal History Request Form or to use the automated online system.

Download the printable formto send your request by mail.

You need a money order to send to the OSBI.

Fill in the blank form that will print at the end of the program.

At the top, be sure to mark and pay for these searches:
TYPE OF SEARCH REQUESTED:

• Name Based
• Sex Offender
• Mary Rippy Violent Offender.

Take either the printed or hand written form, along with the money order, and an envelope (with postage) addressed to the OSBI (on the form), along with your other forms, to the Judge when you get the guardianship set for a hearing. You will do this after you file the Petition with the court clerk.

For questions, see OSBI's website for more informaiton.

Service of Process or Sheriff's Service Fees: $50.00, if needed
You may be required to give notice to a parent or grandparent. The Sheriff's Office will serve the notice. There is a fee for “service of process.” There is no Paupers Affidavit or way to avoid that fee if you are required by the law to notify the parents, grandparents or the closest living relative.

Home Study Fees
The law requires that a Home Study be done by a licensed social worker. This process can take months and cost over $1,000. In some circ*mstances, usually where family is involved, the judge may waive the Home Study requirement. If you use the online forms a Request to Waive Home Study will print with the forms. You will ask the judge to sign them when you get a hearing date from the judge.

At the Guardianship Hearing

Court Papers
Be sure to put the court papers in an envelope or folder and keep them together to take to the court hearings with you. In some counties the judge’s clerk will take the court orders from you and keep them in the file until the court hearing.

Evidence presented at the Court Hearing
The judge will allow you to present evidence, including your own testimony or that of any witnesses you have come to court to support your case.

Child support must be addressed by the judge in her Order. The natural parents or current legal custodian may be required to pay child support. The judge can address this in the Order or the guardian may be ordered to get help from Oklahoma Child Support Services.

After the Guardianship Hearing

Follow up after appointment as Guardian
As the guardian, you will propose a plan for the care and treatment of the child for the coming year or the duration of the guardianship. This can be to keep the child in his present school and under the treatment of existing doctor’s care.

Inventory
If the child has assets, like a bank account, or items left in a trust for the child, the guardian needs to take an inventory of all of the assets and report that to the court by filing the list of assets and estimated value in the guardianship case. The judge will tell you when the inventory is due, but be prepared to file this at least within 2 months of the Order. File the Inventory earlier if at all possible.

Review Hearing
The judge may order a Review Hearing in a few months or in a year. As the guardian, you will need to keep information about the child to present to the judge at the Review Hearing. This could be information about the child’s health, school progress or other kinds of treatment set out in the Plan for Care and Treatment of the Child.

Annual Accounting
If the child has any assets or property, the guardian must file an inventory of those assets or the property owned by the child within 3 months of appointment as guardian,

At the end of every year, the Annual Accounting must be filed with the court clerk. This will be made a part of the court record and the judge will review and approve the accounting or set a hearing date.

Generally, unless the Court requires an annual accounting, an annual accounting and annual plan is not required when the child’s assets are worth less than $10,000 or are worth less than $40,000 if a bond has been posted by the guardian.

Annual Report on the Person
Unless ordered by the court, a guardian of the person of a child is not required to file an annual report on the person.