A court evaluator is the neutral, independent investigator the court appoints in a Bronx adult guardianship proceeding to gather the facts, interview the people involved, and report back to the judge on whether a guardian is truly needed — and if so, how much authority that guardian should have. In an adult guardianship case under New York Mental Hygiene Law
To become the guardian of an aging parent in The Bronx, you file an Article 81 guardianship proceeding under New York’s Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) in the Supreme Court, Bronx County — not the Surrogate’s Court. You commence the case with an Order to Show Cause and a Verified Petition, the court appoints a neutral court evaluator to investigate, and
The honest answer is that an Article 81 guardianship in The Bronx is a contested-litigation-priced proceeding, not a flat-fee filing — most uncontested matters land in the low-to-mid five figures once you add attorney fees, the court evaluator’s fee, and a possible bond, while genuinely contested cases can run materially higher. There is no single sticker price because the cost
If your child has an intellectual or developmental disability and is approaching their 18th birthday in The Bronx, the legal tool you are most likely looking for is guardianship under Article 17-A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA), filed in the Bronx County Surrogate’s Court. When a child turns 18, the law treats that young adult as fully competent
If you are caring for an aging parent, a disabled relative, or a spouse who is losing the ability to manage money or medical decisions in The Bronx, the choice usually comes down to two tools: an Article 81 guardianship under New York’s Mental Hygiene Law, or a durable power of attorney. The short answer is this: a power of
An uncontested Article 81 guardianship in Bronx County typically takes roughly two to four months from the day the petition is filed in the Supreme Court, Bronx County to the day the court signs the order and commission appointing the guardian. Contested cases — where a family member, the alleged incapacitated person (AIP), or another interested party objects — can
To obtain guardianship of a minor in The Bronx, you file a petition under Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) Article 17 asking a court to appoint a responsible adult as guardian of the child’s person, property, or both. For most Bronx families, this petition is brought in the Bronx County Surrogate’s Court, although Article 17 guardianship of an infant may
When a loved one in The Bronx can no longer manage their own affairs, a New York court can appoint a guardian to step in — but not every guardian has the same job. The core difference is this: a guardian of the person makes decisions about an individual’s personal and medical needs (where they live, their health care, their
Yes — a guardianship can be contested in The Bronx, and the law is built to make sure it can be. When someone files an adult guardianship petition under Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81 in the Supreme Court, Bronx County, the person whose rights are at stake — the alleged incapacitated person (AIP) — has the right to oppose
If you are seeking adult guardianship for an incapacitated loved one in The Bronx, the Article 81 guardianship process begins by filing a petition in the Supreme Court, Bronx County — not the Surrogate’s Court — under Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) Article 81. The court will appoint a guardian of the person, of the property, or both only after it
If your loved one in The Bronx is struggling to manage finances or health decisions, you do not automatically need a court-appointed guardian. In fact, New York courts strongly prefer that families try less restrictive options first — tools like a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy, a living trust, a supplemental needs trust, and supported decision-making. A