A court evaluator is the neutral, court-appointed investigator the Supreme Court assigns in a Rockland County adult guardianship proceeding to gather facts and report back to the judge about whether guardianship is truly necessary. In an Article 81 case under New York’s Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81, the court evaluator is the eyes and ears of the court: this
To become guardian of an aging parent in Rockland County, you file an Article 81 guardianship proceeding under New York’s Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) in the Supreme Court, Rockland County — not the Surrogate’s Court. You start the case by presenting an Order to Show Cause and a Verified Petition asking the court to appoint a guardian for your parent
There is no single sticker price for an Article 81 guardianship in Rockland County — but most uncontested adult guardianship petitions in 2026 fall into a predictable range driven by attorney fees, the court evaluator’s fee, and whether anyone objects. An uncontested matter handled cleanly from start to appointment is typically the lower end of the spectrum, while a contested
When a child with a developmental or intellectual disability turns 18, New York law treats that young adult as fully legally independent — even when the family knows their son or daughter cannot safely manage medical decisions, finances, or daily affairs alone. To regain the legal authority to help, a Rockland County parent typically petitions for guardianship under Article 17-A
If you are a Rockland County family wondering whether you need an Article 81 guardianship or a power of attorney to help an aging parent or vulnerable adult, the short answer is this: a power of attorney is a private legal document you sign before a crisis while you still have capacity, while an Article 81 guardianship is a court
An uncontested Article 81 guardianship in Rockland County typically takes about two to four months from the day the petition is filed in the Supreme Court, Rockland County, to the day the court signs the order and commission appointing a guardian. Cases that are contested, that involve complicated assets, or that run into scheduling delays can take six months to
If you are raising or caring for a child in Rockland County and need legal authority to make decisions on that child’s behalf, you obtain it by petitioning for guardianship of a minor under Article 17 of the New York Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA Article 17). In Rockland, this proceeding is most commonly filed in the Rockland County Surrogate’s
If a loved one in Rockland County can no longer manage their own affairs, a New York court may appoint a guardian to step in. The short answer to the question in the title: a guardian of the person makes decisions about an individual’s personal and medical needs, while a guardian of the property manages that individual’s money, assets, and
If a guardianship petition has been filed against you or a loved one in Rockland County, you are not powerless — under New York’s Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81, the alleged incapacitated person (the “AIP”) has the right to oppose the petition, to be represented by an attorney, to demand a hearing, and to insist that the court appoint
If an adult in Rockland County can no longer manage their personal needs or finances and never signed advance planning documents, an Article 81 guardianship is filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Rockland County — not the Surrogate’s Court. Adult-incapacity guardianship is governed by Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81, and the Supreme Court may
If you are a Rockland County family worried that a loved one can no longer manage their finances or health decisions, you should know this first: guardianship is rarely the only option, and New York courts actually prefer that you try the alternatives before asking for one. Under New York Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81, a court may only