A personal guardian is an individual, appointed by a court, who has custody of the ward (generally, a person who is a minor or legally incompetent) and the authority to make personal decisions for the ward.
For example, in Florida, rights which may be delegated to the personal guardian include the right:
- To determine their residence.
- To consent to medical and mental health treatment.
- To make decisions about their social environment or other social aspects of their life.
Personal guardians are also referred to as the “Guardian of the Person.” In contrast, the Guardian of the Estate controls the property and finances of a the ward. The guardian of the person and the guardian of the estate may be the same individual or different individuals.
[Last updated in July of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]