Guardianship Attorney Columbus Ohio
Petitioning for Legal Guardianship of a Child
The first step in becoming a legal guardian is to complete the necessary paperwork and file it with the court. This paperwork demonstrates your interest in caring for the child. The next step is a meeting with the court, you, and the child. At this time, the court will determine whether the legal guardianship is in the child’s best interest. Guardians are often grandparents, aunts, or uncles.
The legal guardian is responsible for:
- The care of the child
- The child’s physical well-being
- Making decisions on behalf of the child
While most children are under the legal care and custody of their parents, there are situations that require a legal guardian to look after the best interests of a child. If you need legal advice or representation for an issue involving domestic or juvenile guardianship, call the Law Offices of William L. Geary. Our guardianship attorneys in Columbus are court approved “Guardian ad Litem” for domestic and juvenile cases and have more than two decades of experience representing clients exclusively in the area of family law.
Please contact us at (614) 289-1227 to get legal advice in a confidential consultation.
Emergency Guardianship Ohio
A guardian is responsible for acting in the best interests of a child when the parent is unable to care for the child. In general, the legal guardian is not the parent of the child. This could be a temporary situation for a specific period of time. Emergency guardianships are used in an emergency situation when there is risk of immediate harm. When another person will be assuming care and legal responsibility for the child, a legal guardianship is granted and lasts until the child turns 18.
Our Columbus guardianship lawyers are knowledgeable in all aspects of family law. We can answer your questions about legal guardianship and guide you through the process of petitioning for domestic and juvenile guardianship. In addition, we provide quality legal representation that is personalized to meet the unique needs of each client.
If you need help petitioning for guardianship or resolving a guardianship dispute, call (614) 289-1227 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.

Reviews From Our Clients
-
“I reached out to Mr. Geary to help me unpack a complex divorce case that involved a pre-nup. He was actually the 3rd attorney that I sought advice. I was most impressed with Mr. Geary's thoroughness ...”
- Teresa D. -
“I cannot say enough great things about Brittany and The Law Offices of William L. Geary.”
- Cory B. -
“Excellent professionals.”
- Carla Z. -
“I would recommend this attorney to anyone in my family or friends. He is the best. Before I worked with Mr. Geary with a very complicated and contested divorce case, I had also worked with other ...”
- Wentong -
“Bill was very attentive and listened carefully to my case. He "rolled up his sleeves", went to work and got the best possible solution to my problem. He was absolutely brilliant, and his fee was very ...”
- Carl
Case Examples
-
Child Support Enforcement Agency’s Payment of Attorney Fees to Our Client
-
Custody to Father (Child Relocated from Japan)
-
Custody to Unrelated Couple
-
Divorce/Business Valuation
-
Retrieval of Children Who Had Been Taken from State and Hidden from Father

