guardiann.
Reviewed by Owen Hathaway, AttorneyUpdated June 4, 2026A person a court appoints (or a parent nominates) to make personal and care decisions for someone who can't, such as a minor child or an incapacitated adult.
A guardian is appointed to make personal, medical, and living-arrangement decisions for a person who cannot make them, whether a minor or an incapacitated adult (the ward or protected person). A guardian's authority is over the person, not primarily over money.
Parents typically nominate guardians for minor children in their wills; for adults, a court appoints a guardian after finding incapacity. Guardianship is distinct from conservatorship, which concerns financial affairs.
Colorado handles guardianship under the Colorado Probate Code (C.R.S. Title 15, Article 14); Wyoming under Wyo. Stat. Title 3. Both prefer less-restrictive alternatives (such as powers of attorney) and require court oversight of appointed guardians.
Related terms
- conservatorA person a court appoints to manage the finances and property of someone who can't manage their own, distinct from a guardian, who handles personal care.
- willA signed, witnessed document that says who gets a person's probate property after death and names an executor to carry it out. It takes effect only at death and only after probate.