What Is a Public Guardian – and how do you prevent one from being appointed to your loved one?
Quick answer: A public guardian is a court-appointed professional authorized to make legal and financial decisions for an adult who can no longer safely make them alone. In Maryland and DC, courts appoint public guardians only as a last resort — when no family member or trusted person is available. The best way to prevent a public guardian appointment is to have a durable power of attorney and healthcare directive in place while a person still has legal capacity.