Table of contents

When to review

You can apply for a guardianship review at any time.

A review must happen when:

  • it is required by the court order
  • there is a change in the capacity of the adult
  • there is a change in the adult’s circumstances that affects the decision-maker’s ability to make decisions
  • there is a change in the capacity of a decision-maker that affects the decision-maker’s ability to make decisions
  • a decision-maker passes away

A guardianship review and trusteeship review can be done at the same time.

Court ordered review

If the court expects you to do a review, it:

  • will say so on the court order
  • will list a deadline for review
  • is important you complete the review before the deadline

Missing the deadline to review the court order

If you miss the deadline, you continue as the guardian but it:

  • is required by law to complete this review
  • may be difficult for the adult to access some services without an up-to-date guardianship order

How long will it take

To become a guardian, it usually takes 6 months – from the time your paperwork is ready to be submitted to court – before the court makes a decision.

Apply for a review of the court order

To apply for a review of the court order – and to ensure you follow the correct process and complete the correct paperwork – you need to think about 3 things:

  1. You need to consider which decisions the adult needs assistance with:
    • personal decisions only (guardianship)
    • personal and financial decisions (guardianship and trusteeship)
  2. You need to decide to apply without a hearing (desk application) or with a hearing:
Without a Hearing (Desk Application) With a Hearing
  • if you don’t expect anyone to disagree with the application
  • not time sensitive
  • you are the appointed decision-maker
  • you don’t need to appear in court
  • the judge makes a decision based on the paperwork you submit
  • someone might disagree with the application
  • time sensitive
  • you are not the appointed decision-maker
  • you or your lawyer appears in court
  • application is discussed with the judge
  • the judge makes a decision based on the paperwork you submit and the discussion in court
  1. You need to decide to apply for one of these options:
    • guardianship review – desk application
    • guardianship and trusteeship review – desk application
    • guardianship review – with a hearing
    • guardianship and trusteeship review – with a hearing

To start the application process

Select the one option below that best meets the adult’s situation:

When a court order is granted

The newly-appointed guardian is legally responsible to provide a copy of the court order to:

  • the adult
  • other interested parties
  • the OPGT

Read the court order carefully to learn:

  • who has been appointed
  • what authority has been granted
  • when the order needs to be reviewed
  • any other provisions

Video

Related

Trusteeship

Trusteeship review

Examination and approval of trusteeship accounts

Was this page helpful?

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca. If you require a response, please go to our Contact page.

You will not receive a reply. Submissions that include telephone numbers, addresses, or emails will be removed.