About Guardianships
Guardianships are legal proceedings in which a guardian is appointed to exercise legal rights of an incapacitated person, minor, voluntary wards, or developmentally disabled individuals. A guardian makes decisions and takes action regarding the wellbeing of the ward. All guardianship matters in Florida require an attorney pursuant to Florida Probate Rule 5.030. However, a guardian advocate is not required to be represented by an attorney.
An individual, through an attorney, may file for a guardian to be appointed for:
- an adult person when they believe that person is not mentally capable of taking care of himself / herself
- an adult person on their own behalf may file a voluntary guardianship when they may be physically unable to manage their property
An individual can be appointed as guardian of the person only, the property only, or both the person and property. The guardian may also be given limited rights or total rights.
Guardianships are filed for minors when the minor child has inherited or received money or property in excess of $15,000. In this type of case, a guardian of the property is all that is needed if the minor child's parents are living. If a minor child's parents are deceased, a guardianship of the person may also be required.
Report Guardianship Fraud
You can anonymously report potential incidents of financial fraud or waste involving court-appointed guardianships over elderly, minor children and incapacitated individuals. This includes but is not limited to:
- Missing money or property
- Suspicious loans, funds transfers, opened or closed accounts/lines of credit
- Suspicious purchase or sale of real or personal property
- Violations of federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations
- Guardian has a conflict of interest or exhibits signs of more expensive lifestyle
- Forced removal of the ward from their home or residence
To file a report, call 772-462-1488 or email [email protected]. Submissions are sent directly to the Clerk’s guardianship auditors.
If you suspect physical abuse or neglect, please contact the Florida Department of Children and Families at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873).
Guardianship FAQs
What is a guardianship?
A guardianship is a legal proceeding in the circuit courts of Florida in which a guardian is appointed to represent (protect) the rights of a minor or incapacitated person.What is a guardian?
A guardian is a person who has been appointed by the court to act on behalf of a ward’s person (Guardian of Person) or property (Guardian of Property), or both (Guardian of Person and Property)What is an incapacitated person (also called a ward)?
An incapacitated person is a person who has been determined by the court to lack the capacity to manage at least some of their property or to meet at least some of the essential health and safety requirements of that person.
Edna Lopez
Circuit Civil Manager
Edna has been with the Clerk’s office since 2013. She first began working as a Record Clerk in Family Relations before transferring to the Juvenile Department where she became the manager in January 2017. As the Juvenile Manager, she is responsible for managing the daily operations of the department and ensuring all state guidelines are being met. Edna has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has taken courses towards her MBA. Edna is also an adjunct instructor at Indian River State College where she assists high school students in a college-readiness program called TRIO.
Contact Us
Circuit Civil
201 South Indian River Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
Directions to this Location
Mailing Address
Clerk and Comptroller
Attn: Circuit Civil Dept.
P. O. Box 700
Fort Pierce, FL 34954
Hours of Operation
8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
(Excluding Holidays)
Phone: 772-462-6900
Fax: 772-462-2843
