A court evaluator is a neutral, independent investigator appointed by the court in a New York adult guardianship proceeding to gather facts, interview everyone involved, and report back to the judge on whether a guardian is truly needed and, if so, what powers that guardian should have. In a Staten Island (Richmond County) case brought under Mental Hygiene Law (MHL)
To become guardian of an aging parent in Staten Island, you file a petition for adult guardianship under New York Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81 in the Supreme Court, Richmond County — not the Surrogate’s Court. You start the case with an Order to Show Cause and a Verified Petition, the court appoints a neutral Court Evaluator to investigate,
The honest answer for most Staten Island families is that an uncontested Article 81 guardianship typically runs from the low thousands into the mid-five figures of dollars, and a contested case can climb well beyond that — but no attorney can quote you an exact flat number on day one, because the cost is driven by who else the court
When a child with a developmental or intellectual disability turns 18, the law treats them as a legal adult—even if they cannot independently manage their medical care, finances, or daily decisions. For Staten Island parents, the most common path to continue making those decisions is guardianship under SCPA Article 17-A, filed in the Richmond County Surrogate’s Court. This article explains
If a loved one in Staten Island can no longer manage their finances or personal care, the central question is this: do you need an Article 81 guardianship through the court, or will a power of attorney be enough? The short answer is that a power of attorney is a private, voluntary document a person signs while they still have
An uncontested Article 81 guardianship in Richmond County typically takes roughly two to four months from the filing of the petition to the signing of the order appointing a guardian — and a guardian’s authority does not become fully effective until the commission issues, which can add several more weeks. If the matter is contested, or if the court evaluator’s
To obtain guardianship of a minor in Staten Island, you file a petition under SCPA Article 17 in the Richmond County Surrogate’s Court, asking the court to appoint a responsible adult as guardian of the child’s person (their care, custody, and personal needs), guardian of the child’s property (money or assets belonging to the minor), or both. The court’s single
If a loved one in Staten Island can no longer manage their own affairs, a New York court may appoint a guardian to step in. But “guardian” is not a single role. The short answer to the question in the title: a guardian of the person is responsible for an individual’s personal, daily, and medical needs, while a guardian of
If someone has filed an Article 81 guardianship petition against you or a loved one in Staten Island, you can contest it — and the law gives the alleged incapacitated person (AIP) powerful rights to do exactly that. An adult guardianship in Richmond County is decided in the Supreme Court, Richmond County, under Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81, and
If a loved one in Staten Island can no longer manage their own personal needs or finances, the Article 81 guardianship process gives a court the power to appoint someone to act on their behalf — but only after a careful, evidence-based proceeding. In Staten Island (Richmond County), an adult incapacity guardianship under Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81 is
If your loved one in Staten Island is losing the ability to handle money or make medical decisions, you do not automatically need a guardianship — and in many cases you can avoid the court process entirely. The most reliable alternatives to guardianship are a durable Power of Attorney (General Obligations Law §5-1513), a Health Care Proxy, a Living Trust,
A Staten Island guide for immigrant and mixed-status families on protecting children through New York guardianship and estate planning, plus the immigration side.