Upon appointment of the guardian, he/she will be required to file an acceptance of appointment (PDF) (SCAO Form PC571) indicating that they are willing to serve as guardian of the minor until age eighteen. The guardian will be issued letters of authority which contain language that the minor cannot be returned to the parent(s) without a court order.
The guardian is expected to maintain their current address and the current address of the minor at all times with the Court. You will find a Change of Address form (PDF) on the website for your use.
Yearly, on the anniversary of the appointment of the guardian, the guardian will be required to file an annual report of guardian and proof of service. See instructions for Annual Reporting.
In addition to the yearly reporting of the guardian, the Department of Human Services will be ordered to do a review of the guardianship one year after the appointment of the guardian and yearly thereafter for any children under the age of six or every three years for minors over the age of six. The Department of Human Services will file a report on the status of the minor guardianship with recommendations for continuation of the guardianship. If necessary, the Court will schedule a review hearing based on the recommendations of the Department of Human Services.