guardianship monitoring in florida - florida courts · introduction a guardian is a surrogate...
TRANSCRIPT
Gu
ar
dia
nsh
ipm
on
ito
rin
gin
Flo
rid
a:
Fulf
illi
ng
th
eC
ou
rt
’s d
ut
yt
o p
ro
tec
t w
ar
ds
2003
Guardianship
is
the
pro
cess
by w
hic
h a
court
fin
ds
a per
son’s
abil
ity t
o m
ake
dec
isio
ns
so i
mpai
red b
ecau
se o
f m
enta
l an
d/o
r physi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s, t
hat
the
right
to
mak
e dec
isio
ns
is l
egal
ly g
rante
d t
o a
noth
er p
arty
. T
hat
par
ty,
know
n a
s a
guar
dia
n,
bec
om
es t
he
surr
ogat
e dec
isio
n-m
aker
in p
erso
nal
and/o
r fi
nan
cial
mat
ters
for
the
inca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
n,
know
n a
s a
“war
d.”
Supr
eme
Cou
rt C
omm
issi
on o
n Fa
irne
ss, C
omm
itte
e on
Gua
rdia
nshi
p M
onto
ring
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Mel
Gro
ssm
an
, Co
-ch
air
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Patr
icia
Th
om
as,
Co
-ch
air
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, F
ifth
Cir
cuit
Ms.
Kare
n C
am
pb
ell
, P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
,S
eco
nd
Cir
cuit
Mr.
Cla
y C
raig
, A
tto
rney
at
Law
,re
pre
sen
tin
g t
he
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, Pro
bat
e,an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Mr.
Jo
hn
DeG
roo
t,O
ffic
e o
f th
e A
tto
rney
Gen
eral
, Co
ord
inat
or
of
Sp
ecia
l P
roje
cts
Mr.
Jo
sep
h P
. G
eo
rge, Jr
., A
tto
rney
at
Law
, rep
rese
nti
ng
th
e G
ov
ern
men
tL
awy
ers
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Mr.
Jo
hn
Gra
nt,
Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
form
erS
tate
Sen
ato
r an
d f
orm
er E
xecu
tiv
eD
irec
tor
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
d-
ian
ship
Off
ice
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Geo
rge W
. G
reer,
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, S
ixth
Cir
cuit
Ms.
Ap
ril
Hil
l, A
tto
rney
at
Law
, fo
rmer
dir
ecto
r o
f th
e E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r o
f th
eT
hir
teen
th C
ircu
it
Ste
ve
n H
oll
ow
ay
, P
hD
, Dea
n o
f B
arry
Un
iver
sity
Sch
oo
l o
f S
oci
al W
ork
Ms.
Mar
ia D
iaz
Lo
wry
, Co
urt
In
ves
tig
ato
r/M
on
ito
r, S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it
Mr.
Ric
har
d M
ilst
ein
, Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
rep
rese
nti
ng
th
e E
lder
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Do
na
ld R
. M
ora
n,
Jr.,
Ch
ief
Jud
ge,
Fo
urt
h C
ircu
it
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Belv
in P
err
y, Jr
., C
hie
f Ju
dg
e,N
inth
Cir
cuit
Mr.
Jo
hn
Petr
ila,
Ex
ecu
tiv
e D
irec
tor,
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e
Mr.
Ste
ven
E. Q
uin
nell
, Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
Nat
ion
al A
sso
ciat
ion
of
Eld
er L
aw A
tto
rney
s
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Su
san
Se
xto
n,
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Jud
ge,
Th
irte
enth
Cir
cuit
Sta
ff S
up
po
rt
Ms.
De
bra
Ho
we
lls,
res
earc
h,
cop
yw
riti
ng
, an
dsu
pp
ort
to c
omm
itte
eM
s. E
ve J
an
ock
o,
sup
por
t to
com
mit
tee
Ms.
Je
nn
ife
r M
cCo
rd,
des
ign
Up
on
req
ues
t b
y a
per
son
wit
h a
dis
abil
ity
, th
isd
ocu
men
t w
ill
be
mad
e av
aila
ble
in
acc
essi
ble
form
ats.
Off
ice
of
the
Sta
te C
ou
rts
Ad
min
istr
ato
r50
0 S
. D
uv
al S
tree
tT
alla
has
see,
Flo
rid
a 32
399-
1900
tele
ph
on
e 85
0-92
2-50
81em
ail
osc
a@fl
cou
rts.
org
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
MO
NIT
OR
ING
CO
MM
ITT
EE
DE
DIC
AT
ION
Thi
s re
port
is
dedi
cate
d to
the
mem
ory
of K
enn
eth
R. P
alm
er,
who
pro
pose
d th
at g
uar
dian
-sh
ip m
onit
orin
g be
incl
ude
d as
a st
udy
top
ic w
ithi
n t
he S
ep-
tem
ber
1, 1
999,
adm
inis
trat
ive
ord
er r
eau
thor
izin
g t
he
Su
-p
rem
e C
ourt
Com
mis
sion
on
Fai
rnes
s.
Mr.
Pal
mer
die
d of
can
cer
at t
he a
ge o
f 54,
on
Apr
il20
, 200
1, h
avin
g se
rved
as
Sta
teC
ourt
s A
dm
inis
trat
or s
ince
1984
. T
he S
tate
Cou
rts
Sys
-te
m a
nd
the
Flo
ridi
ans
it s
erve
s–
incl
udi
ng
the
war
ds w
ho a
reth
e su
bjec
t of
thi
s re
port
– h
ave
lost
a g
reat
lea
der,
su
ppor
ter,
and
defe
nde
r.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Mis
sion o
f G
uar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng
..................................................................................................
2
Exec
utive
Sum
mar
y..........................................................................................................................
3
Intr
oduct
ion
......................................................................................................................................
5
Com
mit
tee
Pro
cess
...........................................................................................................................
7
Gro
win
g N
eed f
or
Guar
dia
nsh
ip in F
lori
da
........................................................................................
8
Eff
ective
Guar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng is
Ess
ential
..................................................................................
13
The
Curr
ent S
ituat
ion in F
lori
da
As
Des
crib
ed a
t P
ublic
Hea
rings
.....................................................
14
Judi
cial
Inp
ut......................................................................................................................
14
Cle
rk o
f C
ourt
Input
...........................................................................................................
16
Citiz
en I
nput
.......................................................................................................................
17
Guar
dia
n I
nput.
...................................................................................................................
17
Attorn
ey I
nput
....................................................................................................................
19
Vet
eran
s’ A
dm
inis
trat
ion I
nput.............................................................................................
20
Min
imum
Sta
ndar
ds
for
Guar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng
............................................................................
21
Com
ponen
ts o
f an
Idea
l G
uar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng P
rogra
m..............................................................
23
1
. I
nitia
l an
d O
n-G
oin
g S
cree
nin
g a
nd R
evie
win
g o
f G
uar
dia
ns
........................................
25
2
. R
eport
ing o
n the
Wel
l-B
eing o
f th
e W
ard
....................................................................
27
3
. R
eport
ing o
n the
Pro
tect
ion o
f th
e W
ard’s
Ass
ets
........................................................
30
4
. C
ase
Adm
inis
trat
ion
....................................................................................................
33
Min
or
Guar
dia
nsh
ips.......................................................................................................................
36
Educa
tion a
nd T
rain
ing I
ssues
..........................................................................................................
37
MIS
SIO
N O
F G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G
Th
e m
issi
on
of
gua
rdia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g is
to
co
llec
t, p
ro-
vid
e, a
nd
ev
alu
ate
in
form
ati
on
ab
ou
t th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
an
dp
rop
erty
of
all
per
son
s a
dju
dic
ate
d o
f h
av
ing
a l
ega
l in
ca-
pa
city
so
th
at
the
cou
rt c
an
fu
lfil
l it
s le
gal
ob
liga
tio
n t
op
rote
ct a
nd
pre
serv
e th
e in
tere
sts
of
the
wa
rd,
an
d t
her
eby
pro
mo
te c
on
fid
ence
in
th
e ju
dic
ial
pro
cess
.
2
EX
EC
UT
IVE
SU
MM
AR
Y
A g
uar
dia
n i
s a
surr
og
ate
dec
isio
n-m
aker
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o m
ake
per
son
al a
nd
/o
r fi
nan
cial
dec
isio
ns
eith
er (
1) f
or
an a
du
lt w
ith
men
tal
or
ph
ysi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s w
ho
has
bee
n a
dju
dic
ated
in
cap
acit
ated
; o
r (2
) fo
r a
min
or
in c
ircu
mst
ance
sw
her
e th
e p
aren
ts d
ie o
r b
eco
me
inca
pac
itat
ed o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
inh
erit
ance
, pro
ceed
s o
f a
law
suit
, or
insu
ran
ce p
oli
cyex
ceed
ing
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
. T
her
e ar
e b
etw
een
30,
000
and
40,
000
op
en g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
in F
lori
da
at a
ny
giv
enti
me.
Wh
en t
he
cou
rt r
emo
ves
an
ad
ult
’s r
igh
ts t
o o
rder
his
or
her
ow
n a
ffai
rs, t
her
e is
an
acc
om
pan
yin
g d
uty
to
pro
tect
th
ein
div
idu
al.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
a d
isti
nct
an
d u
niq
ue
typ
e o
f ju
dic
ial
mat
ter.
Un
lik
e o
ther
cas
es, g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
may
rem
ain
op
en f
or
yea
rso
r ev
en d
ecad
es,
par
ticu
larl
y i
n c
ases
in
vo
lvin
g a
du
lts
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
or
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
s.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
also
dif
fere
nt
bec
ause
alt
ho
ug
h i
t b
egin
s w
ith
an
ad
ver
sari
al h
eari
ng
, on
ce i
nca
pac
ity
has
bee
n d
eter
min
ed, t
her
e ar
e u
sual
ly n
o“a
dv
ersa
ries
” to
bri
ng
co
nce
rns
to t
he
cou
rt’s
att
enti
on
. T
hu
s, t
he
cou
rt m
ust
be
pro
acti
ve
to d
isco
ver
an
d r
esp
on
d t
o d
is-
pu
tes
and
iss
ues
.
Th
e in
evit
able
ag
ing
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n, s
itu
atio
ns
lead
ing
to
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, a
nd
th
e in
cid
ence
of
dev
elo
pm
enta
ld
isab
ilit
ies
and
men
tal
dis
ord
ers
wil
l in
flu
ence
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy c
on
sid
erat
ion
s fo
r th
e fo
rese
eab
le f
utu
re.
Alr
ead
y t
he
Flo
rid
ale
gal
sy
stem
is
con
fro
nti
ng
an
d s
eek
ing
an
swer
s to
ess
enti
al i
ssu
es, s
uch
as
ho
w t
he
cou
rts
wil
l b
e ab
le t
o a
deq
uat
ely
ex
er-
cise
th
eir
leg
al,
eth
ical
, an
d m
ora
l re
spo
nsi
bil
itie
s to
mo
nit
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
pro
tect
th
e in
cap
acit
ated
ad
ult
s en
-tr
ust
ed t
o t
hei
r ca
re.
Th
e ro
le o
f a
gu
ard
ian
is
hig
hly
co
mp
lex
, in
vo
lvin
g l
egal
, so
cial
, fi
nan
cial
, an
d p
sych
olo
gic
al d
imen
sio
ns.
W
hil
e m
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le jo
b,
it i
s n
eces
sary
fo
r co
urt
s to
act
ivel
y e
xer
cise
th
eir
ov
ersi
gh
t re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n o
rder
to
pro
tect
an
d p
rese
rve
the
inte
rest
s o
f p
erso
ns
wit
h a
leg
al i
nca
pac
ity
. W
hil
e it
is
bey
on
dd
isp
ute
th
at c
ou
rt-a
pp
oin
ted
gu
ard
ian
s sh
ou
ld b
e su
per
vis
ed b
y t
he
cou
rt,
it s
ho
uld
als
o b
e re
mem
ber
ed t
hat
th
e v
ast
maj
ori
ty o
f g
uar
dia
ns
are
fam
ily
mem
ber
s w
ho
are
per
form
ing
dif
ficu
lt, u
np
aid
, an
d t
han
kle
ss w
ork
, so
lely
fro
m a
sen
se o
ffa
mil
ial
dev
oti
on
an
d d
uty
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n t
he
leas
t b
urd
enso
me
and
dis
-ru
pti
ve
man
ner
po
ssib
le t
hat
eff
ecti
vel
y a
cco
mp
lish
es t
he
go
al o
f p
rote
ctin
g w
ard
s.
3
Ba
sed
on
its
rev
iew
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
ad
op
ted
th
e fo
llo
win
g fi
nd
ings
, wh
ich
are
ex-
pla
ined
in
gre
ate
r d
eta
il t
hro
ugh
ou
t th
e re
po
rt:
�M
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le j
ob
; h
ow
ever
, th
ere
is a
nee
d f
or
gre
ater
ov
ersi
gh
t, t
o p
rote
ctin
div
idu
als
wh
o a
re s
ub
ject
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
.�
An
idea
l gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m e
nco
mp
asse
s fo
ur
maj
or
serv
ice
area
s: (
1) in
itia
l an
d o
n-g
oin
g s
cree
nin
gan
d r
evie
win
g o
f g
uar
dia
ns;
(2)
rep
ort
ing
on
th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
of
the
war
d;
(3)
rep
ort
ing
on
th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s; a
nd
(4)
cas
e ad
min
istr
atio
n.
�M
inim
um
req
uir
emen
ts f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e es
tab
lish
ed a
nd
th
e m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss s
ho
uld
be
wel
l d
efin
ed.
�In
sofa
r as
po
ssib
le,
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansp
aren
t an
d o
pen
, an
d c
om
mu
nic
atio
n b
etw
een
th
em
on
ito
r an
d t
he
jud
ge
sho
uld
be
in w
riti
ng
an
d b
eco
me
par
t o
f th
e o
ffic
ial
cou
rt r
eco
rd.
�U
nif
orm
rep
ort
ing
fo
rms
sho
uld
be
ado
pte
d o
n a
sta
tew
ide
bas
is.
�T
her
e is
a n
eed
fo
r a
wel
l-d
efin
ed p
roce
ss f
or
rev
iew
of
the
ann
ual
pla
n a
nd
val
idat
ion
of
the
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
.�
Th
ere
is a
nee
d f
or
wel
l-d
efin
ed f
inan
cial
au
dit
s, w
ith
gra
du
atin
g le
vel
s o
f re
vie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
case
s sh
ou
ld b
e au
dit
ed b
ased
on
a s
tati
stic
al r
and
om
sam
pli
ng
, as
wel
l as
wh
en a
pro
ble
m i
s in
dic
ated
.�
It i
s so
un
d p
ub
lic
po
licy
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g t
o b
e av
aila
ble
in
ev
ery
ju
dic
ial
circ
uit
. M
on
ito
rin
g w
ill
req
uir
e ad
dit
ion
al r
eso
urc
es i
n o
rder
to
ad
equ
atel
y o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e co
st o
f m
on
ito
rin
g c
an b
em
itig
ated
th
rou
gh
th
e ef
fect
ive
use
of
tech
no
log
y.
�E
xist
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
uti
lize
wel
l-tr
ain
ed a
nd
exp
erie
nce
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff a
re w
ork
ing
wel
l.�
Mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
rel
y e
nti
rely
up
on
vo
lun
teer
s ar
e n
ot
alw
ays
effi
cien
t an
d e
ffec
tiv
e.
Alt
ho
ug
h w
ell
inte
nti
on
ed,
vo
lun
teer
s o
ften
lac
k k
no
wle
dg
e an
d e
xp
erie
nce
wit
h t
he
com
ple
x m
edic
al,
leg
al,
and
fin
anci
alis
sues
in
vo
lved
in
ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
�T
her
e is
a n
eed
fo
r st
atew
ide
equ
ity
in r
egar
d t
o c
om
pen
sati
on
of
atto
rney
s an
d g
uar
dia
ns.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, gu
ard
-ia
n a
nd
att
orn
ey f
ees
sho
uld
be
pai
d i
n a
tim
ely
man
ner
.�
Th
ere
is a
nee
d t
o r
ecru
it h
igh
ly q
ual
ifie
d, m
oti
vat
ed, a
nd
tra
ined
pro
fess
ion
als
into
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ield
– b
oth
as g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys.
�Ju
dg
es w
ou
ld b
enef
it f
rom
ad
dit
ion
al t
rain
ing
on
eld
er, d
isab
ilit
y, a
bu
se a
nd
neg
lect
, an
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
ssu
es.
4
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
A g
uar
dia
n i
s a
surr
og
ate
dec
isio
n-m
aker
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o m
ake
eith
er p
erso
nal
an
d/
or
fin
anci
al d
ecis
ion
s fo
r a
min
or
or
for
an a
du
lt w
ith
men
tal
or
ph
ysi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s.
Aft
er a
dju
dic
atio
n,
the
sub
ject
of
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
term
ed a
“war
d.”
Flo
rid
a la
w r
equ
ires
th
e co
urt
to
ap
po
int
a g
uar
dia
n f
or
min
ors
in
cir
cum
stan
ces
wh
ere
the
par
ents
die
or
bec
om
e in
cap
aci-
tate
d, o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
inh
erit
ance
or
pro
ceed
s o
f a
law
suit
or
insu
ran
ce p
oli
cy e
xce
edin
g t
he
amo
un
t al
low
ed b
y s
tatu
te.
Ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
is t
he
pro
cess
by
wh
ich
th
e co
urt
fin
ds
an in
div
idu
al’s
ab
ilit
y t
o m
ake
dec
isio
ns
so im
pai
red
th
at t
he
cou
rtg
ives
th
e ri
gh
t to
mak
e d
ecis
ion
s to
an
oth
er p
erso
n.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is o
nly
war
ran
ted
wh
en n
o le
ss r
estr
icti
ve
alte
rnat
ive
– su
chas
du
rab
le p
ow
er o
f at
torn
ey, t
rust
, hea
lth
car
e su
rro
gat
e o
r p
rox
y, o
r o
ther
fo
rm o
f p
re-n
eed
dir
ecti
ve
– is
fo
un
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
ob
e ap
pro
pri
ate
and
av
aila
ble
.
Flo
rid
a la
w a
llo
ws
bo
th v
olu
nta
ry a
nd
in
vo
lun
tary
gu
ard
ian
ship
s. A
vo
lun
tary
gu
ard
ian
ship
may
be
esta
bli
shed
fo
r an
ad
ult
wh
o, t
ho
ug
h m
enta
lly
co
mp
eten
t, is
inca
pab
le o
f m
anag
ing
his
or
her
ow
n e
stat
e an
d w
ho
vo
lun
tari
ly p
etit
ion
s fo
r th
e ap
po
int-
men
t.
Leg
isla
tiv
e in
ten
t es
tab
lish
es t
hat
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
form
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
is d
esir
able
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, Flo
rid
a la
w p
rov
ides
fo
rli
mit
ed a
s w
ell
as p
len
ary
ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
. A
lim
ited
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
app
rop
riat
e if
th
e co
urt
fin
ds
the
war
d l
ack
s th
eca
pac
ity
to
do
so
me,
bu
t n
ot
all,
of
the
task
s n
eces
sary
to
car
e fo
r h
is o
r h
er p
erso
n o
r p
rop
erty
; an
d i
f th
e in
div
idu
al d
oes
no
th
ave
pre
-pla
nn
ed, w
ritt
en i
nst
ruct
ion
s fo
r al
l as
pec
ts o
f h
is o
r h
er l
ife.
A p
len
ary
gu
ard
ian
is
a p
erso
n a
pp
oin
ted
by
th
e co
urt
to e
xer
cise
all
del
egab
le l
egal
rig
hts
an
d p
ow
ers
of
the
adu
lt w
ard
aft
er t
he
cou
rt m
akes
a f
ind
ing
of
inca
pac
ity
. W
ard
s in
ple
nar
y g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
are,
by
def
init
ion
, un
able
to
car
e fo
r th
emse
lves
.
Wh
eth
er o
ne
is d
eali
ng
wit
h a
min
or
wh
ose
ass
ets
mu
st b
e m
anag
ed b
y a
no
ther
or
an
ad
ult
wit
h a
dis
abil
ity
wh
o is
no
t ca
pab
leo
f m
akin
g d
ecis
ion
s fo
r h
im/
her
self
, wh
en t
he
cou
rt r
emo
ves
an
in
div
idu
al’s
rig
hts
to
ord
er h
is o
r h
er o
wn
aff
airs
th
ere
is a
nac
com
pan
yin
g d
uty
to
pro
tect
th
e in
div
idu
al.
On
e o
f th
e co
urt
’s d
uti
es i
s to
ap
po
int
a g
uar
dia
n.
All
ad
ult
an
d m
ino
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ips
are
sub
ject
to
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t.
Th
e le
gal
au
tho
rity
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
n F
lori
da
is f
ou
nd
in
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e co
urt
ru
les
that
co
ntr
ol
the
rela
tio
nsh
ips
amo
ng
th
e co
urt
, th
e w
ard
, th
e g
uar
dia
n,
and
th
e at
torn
ey a
re f
ou
nd
in
Par
t II
I, P
rob
ate
Ru
les,
Flo
rid
a R
ule
s o
fC
ou
rt.
To
get
her
, th
ese
stat
ute
s an
d r
ule
s d
escr
ibe
the
du
ties
an
d o
bli
gat
ion
s o
f g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys,
as
wel
l as
th
e co
urt
,to
en
sure
th
at t
hey
act
in
th
e b
est
inte
rest
s o
f th
e w
ard
, min
or,
or
per
son
wh
o i
s al
leg
ed i
nca
pac
itat
ed.
In r
eco
gn
itio
n o
f th
e co
urt
sy
stem
’s r
esp
on
sib
ilit
y t
o o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
th
ereb
y e
nsu
re t
hat
war
ds
are
adeq
uat
ely
pro
tect
ed, b
y a
dm
inis
trat
ive
ord
er d
ated
Sep
tem
ber
1, 1
999,
fo
rmer
Ch
ief
Just
ice
Maj
or
B. H
ard
ing
dir
ecte
d t
he
Su
pre
me
Co
urt
Co
mm
issi
on
on
Fai
rnes
s to
“in
ves
tig
ate
and
rep
ort
on
var
iou
s m
od
els
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
.” T
he
Co
mm
issi
on
est
ab-
lish
ed t
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e an
d c
har
ged
it
wit
h f
ulf
illi
ng
th
is d
irec
tiv
e.
5
Co
mm
itte
e m
emb
ersh
ip in
clu
ded
pro
bat
e ju
dg
es, c
hie
f ju
dg
es, c
ou
rt s
taff
, rep
rese
nta
tiv
es o
f th
e S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip O
ffic
e, a
tto
rney
s w
ith
ex
per
ien
ce i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs,
acad
emic
s, a
nd
pro
fess
ion
als
in t
he
fiel
d o
f so
cial
wo
rk.
In
add
itio
n t
o r
ely
ing
on
th
eir
con
sid
erab
le d
irec
t ex
per
ien
ce,
the
Co
mm
itte
e re
vie
wed
av
aila
ble
lit
erat
ure
on
th
e su
bje
ct,
vis
-it
ed F
lori
da
cou
rts
that
are
ex
per
imen
tin
g w
ith
in
no
vat
ive
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
met
ho
ds,
an
d c
on
du
cted
pu
bli
c h
ear-
ing
s ar
ou
nd
th
e st
ate
to r
ecei
ve
inp
ut
fro
m g
uar
dia
ns,
cle
rks
of
cou
rt, a
tto
rney
s, a
dv
oca
tes,
an
d o
ther
in
tere
sted
per
son
s.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
fou
nd
th
at w
hil
e m
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le j
ob
, m
ore
act
ive
ov
ersi
gh
t is
nec
essa
ry i
ng
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
. W
hil
e it
is b
eyo
nd
dis
pu
te t
hat
co
urt
-ap
po
inte
d g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
be
sup
erv
ised
by
th
e co
urt
, it
sho
uld
also
be
rem
emb
ered
th
at t
he
vas
t m
ajo
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e fa
mil
y m
emb
ers
wh
o a
re p
erfo
rmin
g d
iffi
cult
, un
pai
d, a
nd
th
ank
-le
ss w
ork
, so
lely
fro
m a
sen
se o
f fa
mil
ial
dev
oti
on
an
d d
uty
. T
he
Co
mm
itte
e al
so f
ou
nd
th
at a
n o
ver
wh
elm
ing
maj
ori
ty o
fp
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e d
edic
ated
an
d c
apab
le s
erv
ice
pro
vid
ers.
Th
e em
oti
on
al a
nd
fin
anci
al c
om
ple
xit
y i
nh
eren
t in
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
ship
sit
uat
ion
s m
ay b
e co
mp
ou
nd
ed b
y t
he
fact
th
at t
he
fam
ily
has
rec
entl
y s
uff
ered
a t
rag
edy
res
ult
ing
in t
he
nee
d f
or
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip.
A f
amil
y m
emb
er g
uar
dia
n is
req
uir
ed t
o h
ire
an a
tto
rney
, pro
vid
e d
etai
led
per
son
al in
form
atio
n, u
nd
erg
o a
cre
dit
ch
eck
, po
st a
fid
uci
ary
’s b
on
d, a
tten
d a
n 8
-ho
ur
trai
nin
gco
urs
e, a
nd
fil
e d
etai
led
in
itia
l an
d a
nn
ual
per
son
al a
nd
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts.
Oft
en, a
n e
lder
ly w
ife
can
no
t sp
end
her
hu
sban
d’s
sh
are
of
thei
r m
on
ey o
n h
om
e re
pai
rs, b
irth
day
pre
sen
ts, o
r ta
x-p
rep
arer
fees
wit
ho
ut
firs
t fi
lin
g a
wri
tten
req
ues
t w
ith
th
e co
urt
, w
hic
h p
etit
ion
may
or
may
no
t b
e g
ran
ted
. I
n t
he
case
of
a m
ino
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ip,
a p
aren
t ca
nn
ot
use
th
e ch
ild
’s m
on
ey t
o b
uy
bra
ces,
ch
eerl
ead
ing
clo
thes
, b
ask
etb
all
sho
es,
or
a p
rep
aid
coll
ege
pla
n w
ith
ou
t d
oin
g t
he
sam
e. A
cco
rdin
gly
, gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n t
he
leas
t b
urd
enso
me
and
dis
rup
tiv
e m
ann
er p
oss
ible
th
at e
ffec
tiv
ely
acc
om
pli
shes
th
e g
oal
of
pro
tect
ing
war
ds
and
mai
nta
inin
g t
hei
r p
re-g
uar
d-
ian
ship
lif
esty
le.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
fou
nd
th
at it
is s
ou
nd
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
to b
e ad
equ
atel
y f
un
ded
in e
ver
yju
dic
ial
circ
uit
, eit
her
by
th
e S
tate
of
Flo
rid
a o
r b
y l
oca
l g
ov
ern
men
t. R
egre
ttab
ly, g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g r
eso
urc
es a
re, a
tb
est,
mar
gin
ally
fu
nd
ed i
n t
his
Sta
te.
On
ly t
hre
e ci
rcu
its
ou
t o
f tw
enty
–
the
Six
th,
Th
irte
enth
, an
d S
even
teen
th –
hav
e th
ead
van
tag
e o
f fu
ll-t
ime
pro
fess
ion
al s
taff
fo
r th
is p
urp
ose
, an
d o
nly
on
e o
f th
ose
pro
gra
ms
– th
e S
even
teen
th –
is
par
tial
lyfu
nd
ed b
y t
he
Sta
te.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
at w
her
e th
e ca
selo
ad w
arra
nts
, ded
icat
ed p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff s
ho
uld
be
auth
ori
zed
. I
n t
ho
se c
ircu
its
wh
ose
cas
elo
ads
do
no
t w
arra
nt
full
-tim
e d
edic
ated
sta
ff,
the
cou
rt s
ho
uld
be
pro
vid
ed w
ith
acce
ss t
o t
rain
ed a
nd
ex
per
ien
ced
mo
nit
ors
up
on
req
ues
t.
Th
is r
epo
rt d
ocu
men
ts w
hat
th
e C
om
mit
tee
lear
ned
du
rin
g t
he
cou
rse
of
its
rev
iew
, an
d d
escr
ibes
th
e el
emen
ts o
f an
id
eal
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m.
6
CO
MM
ITT
EE
PR
OC
ES
S
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
was
co
mp
rise
d o
f p
rob
ate
jud
ges
, ch
ief
jud
ges
, co
urt
sta
ff, r
epre
sen
tati
ves
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ipO
ffic
e, a
tto
rney
s w
ith
ex
per
ien
ce i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs, a
cad
emic
s, a
nd
pro
fess
ion
als
in t
he
fiel
d o
f so
cial
wo
rk.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
com
men
ced
its
ex
amin
atio
n w
ith
a l
iter
atu
re r
evie
w,
foll
ow
ed i
n A
pri
l 20
00 w
ith
a t
wo
-day
wo
rksh
op
in
Ft.
Lau
der
dal
e.
Du
rin
g t
he
wo
rksh
op
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
dev
elo
ped
a m
issi
on
sta
tem
ent
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
, b
egan
to
de-
scri
be
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
, an
d i
den
tifi
ed a
pre
lim
inar
y l
ist
of
issu
es t
o s
tud
y.
Pre
sen
tati
on
s w
ere
rece
ived
fro
m c
ircu
its
that
are
im
ple
men
tin
g i
nn
ov
ativ
e ap
pro
ach
es t
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g, i
ncl
ud
ing
av
isit
to
th
e T
hir
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it’s
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
and
a p
rese
nta
tio
n o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
nit
iati
ves
in
th
e S
even
teen
thJu
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
wo
su
rvey
s w
ere
con
du
cted
in
ord
er t
o o
bta
in i
nfo
rmat
ion
ab
ou
t g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
ract
ices
in
th
etw
enty
jud
icia
l ci
rcu
its.
In t
he
fall
of
2000
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
ho
sted
th
ree
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s –
in F
t. L
aud
erd
ale,
Tal
lah
asse
e, a
nd
St.
Pet
ersb
urg
– t
o g
ath
erte
stim
on
y f
rom
att
orn
eys,
jud
ges
, pro
fess
ion
al a
nd
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
s, c
lerk
s o
f co
urt
, fam
ily
mem
ber
s, a
dv
oca
tes,
an
d o
ther
inte
r-es
ted
ind
ivid
ual
s. A
dd
itio
nal
ou
trea
ch in
clu
ded
po
stin
g in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
the
Co
mm
itte
e’s
wo
rk o
n t
he
Flo
rid
a C
ou
rts
Web
site
(ww
w.f
lco
urt
s.o
rg)
and
pu
bli
shin
g a
rtic
les
in p
rofe
ssio
nal
new
slet
ters
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e m
et f
ou
r ad
dit
ion
al t
imes
in
per
son
an
d m
ult
iple
tim
es b
y t
elep
ho
ne
con
fere
nce
cal
l, t
o d
iscu
ss w
hat
it
had
lear
ned
an
d t
o d
evel
op
th
is r
epo
rt.
7
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s ar
e fa
cin
g a
gro
win
g n
um
ber
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
iss
ues
. W
hil
eth
ere
are
curr
entl
y n
o a
ccu
rate
sta
tew
ide
stat
isti
cs o
n t
he
nu
mb
er o
f o
pen
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip c
ases
, res
po
nse
s to
su
rvey
s b
y t
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e in
dic
ate
ther
e ar
e in
th
e ra
ng
e o
f 30
,000
-40,
000
op
en g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
in F
lori
da
at a
ny
giv
enti
me.
In
199
6, t
her
e w
ere
mo
re t
han
49,
0001
ju
dic
ial
rev
iew
s o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
ssu
es,
inv
olv
ing
eit
her
a re
vie
w o
f an
an
nu
al p
lan
or
som
e o
ther
co
urt
act
ion
. T
his
nu
mb
erg
rew
to
wel
l o
ver
63,
000
in 2
000,
wh
ich
rep
rese
nts
a 2
8% i
ncr
ease
wit
hin
fiv
e y
ears
.
Fu
rth
erm
ore
, th
ese
fig
ure
s re
pre
sen
t o
nly
th
e p
erso
ns
for
wh
om
a f
orm
al g
uar
dia
n-
ship
has
bee
n s
ou
gh
t. T
her
e ar
e m
any
oth
er p
erso
ns
wh
o d
o n
ot
req
uir
e a
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip b
ecau
se t
hey
ob
tain
ed p
ow
ers
of
atto
rney
, h
ealt
h c
are
dir
ecti
ves
, o
r o
ther
pre
-p
lan
ned
do
cum
ents
in
ad
van
ce o
f in
cap
acit
y.
Un
fort
un
atel
y,
ther
e ar
e th
ou
san
ds
of
inca
pac
itat
ed a
du
lt F
lori
dia
ns
wh
o m
ay r
equ
ire
a g
uar
dia
n, b
ut
wh
ose
nee
ds
rem
ain
un
det
ecte
d a
nd
un
met
. T
he
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e es
tim
ates
the
un
met
nee
d t
o e
xce
ed 2
2,50
0 in
cap
acit
ated
per
son
s st
atew
ide.
Mo
st o
f th
ese
ind
ivid
ual
s ar
ein
dig
ent
and
wo
uld
be
elig
ible
fo
r p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
ser
vic
es.
Ho
wev
er, F
lori
da’
sp
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
pro
gra
m i
s w
oef
ull
y u
nd
erfu
nd
ed.
Th
e S
tate
cu
rren
tly
fu
nd
so
nly
th
ree
pro
gra
ms,
in
Leo
n,
Bro
war
d,
and
Hil
lsb
oro
ug
h c
ou
nti
es.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
,th
ere
are
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
nsh
ip p
rog
ram
s in
Mia
mi-
Dad
e, P
alm
Bea
ch, O
sceo
la, V
olu
sia,
Co
llie
r, a
nd
Lee
co
un
ties
th
at a
re f
un
ded
wit
h l
oca
l p
ub
lic
mo
ney
. T
he
tota
l p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
cap
acit
y i
n F
lori
da
is c
urr
entl
y l
ess
than
1,7
50.
All
ex
isti
ng
pro
gra
ms
are
fill
ed t
o c
apac
ity
an
d c
ann
ot
acce
pt
add
itio
nal
war
ds.
T
he
Dep
artm
ent
of
Ch
il-
dre
n a
nd
Fam
ilie
s h
as e
xp
ress
ed t
he
imm
edia
te n
eed
fo
r a
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
n t
o b
e ap
-p
oin
ted
to
rep
rese
nt
2,49
5 in
div
idu
als
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
s w
ho
are
co
min
g t
o t
he
age
of
maj
ori
ty.
Th
e re
mai
nin
g in
cap
acit
ated
ad
ult
s w
ho
hav
e n
ot
bee
n b
rou
gh
t to
th
e co
urt
’s a
tten
tio
n a
nd
fo
r w
ho
m n
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
erv
ices
exis
t, m
ay b
e la
ng
uis
hin
g w
ith
ou
t ap
pro
pri
ate
ph
ysi
cal
and
/o
r m
enta
l ca
re a
nd
th
eir
mea
ger
fin
ance
s m
ay b
e su
scep
tib
le t
ou
nsc
rup
ulo
us
per
son
s.
As
Joh
n G
ran
t, f
orm
er e
xec
uti
ve
dir
ecto
r o
f th
e S
tate
wid
e O
ffic
e o
f th
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
sta
ted
in
aO
cto
ber
16,
200
0, l
ette
r to
fo
rmer
Ch
ief
Just
ice
Ch
arle
s W
ells
:
1P
er S
um
mar
y R
eport
ing S
yst
em (
SR
S)
dat
a fr
om
the
Off
ice
of
the
Sta
te C
ourt
s A
dm
inis
trat
or,
run o
n S
epte
mber
6,
2001.
Ple
ase
note
that
SR
S d
ata
are
use
d a
s a
bas
e fo
r w
ork
load
mea
sure
s fo
r ju
dges
. T
hes
e dat
a ar
e bas
ed o
n i
nfo
rmat
ion r
ecei
ved
fro
m t
he
Cle
rks
of
Court
.
GR
OW
ING
NE
ED
FO
R G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP I
N F
LO
RID
A
8
Sce
na
rio
: A
n e
lde
rly
wif
e h
as
care
d f
or
he
r h
usb
an
d w
ith
Alz
he
ime
r’s
dis
ea
se i
n t
he
irh
om
e a
s lo
ng
as
po
ssib
le,
bu
th
er
ow
n h
ea
lth
an
d f
un
ds
are
be
ing
de
ple
ted
. T
he
pa
rtie
s,
no
t acc
ust
om
ed
to
ob
tain
ing
le-
gal
ser
vic
es, n
egle
cted
to
ob
tain
Po
wers
of
Att
orn
ey
in
ad
van
ce.
Th
e w
ife i
s n
ow
fo
rced
in
to t
he
situ
ati
on
of
pla
cin
g h
er
hu
s-
ba
nd
in
a n
urs
ing
ho
me
, o
b-
tain
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d s
ell
-in
g s
om
e j
oin
t ass
ets
to
pay
th
eb
ills
. T
he
pa
rtie
s h
av
e b
ee
nm
arr
ied
fo
r 47 y
ears
an
d m
ean
t
it w
hen
th
ey s
aid
“u
nti
l d
eath
do
us
pa
rt.”
Th
ose
to
be
serv
ed b
y a
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
nsh
ip p
rog
ram
are
so
me
of
Flo
rid
a’s
mo
st s
ilen
t ci
tize
ns.
T
hey
do
n’t
hav
e as
sets
, th
ey d
on
’t v
ote
, an
d t
hey
are
eas
ily
fo
rgo
tten
. B
ut
they
are
hu
man
bei
ng
s, m
any
of
wh
om
hav
e li
ved
ex
emp
lary
liv
es, p
ayin
g t
hei
r ta
xes
, ed
uca
tin
g t
hei
r ch
ild
ren
, ser
vin
g t
hei
r co
mm
un
ity
,an
d w
ho
no
w f
ind
th
emse
lves
in
th
e su
nse
t y
ears
of
life
wit
h n
eith
er f
amil
y n
or
asse
ts t
o m
anag
e fo
rth
emse
lves
.
Giv
en t
he
dem
og
rap
hic
s o
f th
e N
atio
n a
nd
Sta
te, t
he
tren
d t
ow
ard
gro
wth
in
th
e n
um
ber
of
inca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
ns
– an
d a
cco
m-
pan
yin
g g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
– is
cer
tain
to
co
nti
nu
e.
Th
e in
cap
acit
ated
po
pu
lati
on
of
tom
orr
ow
wil
l h
ave
dif
fere
nt
soci
al,
dem
o-
gra
ph
ic, h
ealt
h, a
nd
eco
no
mic
ch
arac
teri
stic
s th
an t
hat
of
tod
ay.
Acc
ord
ing
to
rep
ort
s b
y t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Cen
sus
Bu
reau
2 a
nd
oth
er s
ou
rces
:
•T
he
po
pu
lati
on
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n i
s ag
ing
at
an u
nb
elie
vab
le a
nd
un
pre
ced
ente
d r
ate.
-D
uri
ng
th
e T
wen
tiet
h C
entu
ry, t
he
life
span
of
the
aver
age
Am
eric
an n
earl
y d
ou
ble
d.3
-O
ver
2.7
mil
lio
n F
lori
dia
ns,
or
18.3
%, a
re 6
5 y
ears
an
d o
ver
, co
mp
ared
to
th
e n
atio
nal
av
erag
e o
f 12
.7%
. In
fac
t, t
his
Sta
te h
as t
he
gre
ates
t p
rop
ort
ion
of
resi
den
ts o
ver
65,
an
d n
earl
y 8
% o
f al
l A
mer
ican
s o
ver
th
e ag
e o
f 65
liv
e in
Flo
rid
a.
-T
he
“old
est
old
” –
tho
se a
ged
85
and
ov
er –
are
th
e m
ost
rap
idly
gro
win
g e
lder
ly a
ge
gro
up
. M
ore
th
an 3
10,0
00F
lori
dia
ns,
or
2.1%
, are
85
yea
rs a
nd
ov
er, c
om
par
ed t
o t
he
nat
ion
al a
ver
age
of
1.5%
.
-B
etw
een
201
0 an
d 2
030,
th
e o
ver
65
po
pu
lati
on
wil
l ri
se o
ver
70
per
cen
t.4
•T
he
eld
erly
in
ou
r co
un
try
are
bec
om
ing
mo
re r
acia
lly
an
d e
thn
ical
ly d
iver
se.
-In
199
4, 1
0% o
f th
e el
der
ly w
ere
a ra
ce o
ther
th
an W
hit
e. B
y 2
050,
th
is p
rop
ort
ion
is e
xp
ecte
d t
o r
ise
to a
t le
ast
20%
.S
imil
arly
, th
e p
rop
ort
ion
of
eld
erly
wh
o a
re H
isp
anic
is
exp
ecte
d t
o c
lim
b f
rom
4%
to
16%
ov
er t
he
sam
e p
erio
d.
-In
199
0, 1
2% o
f al
l el
der
ly p
erso
ns
in t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
spo
ke
som
e la
ng
uag
e o
ther
th
an E
ng
lish
at
ho
me.
2 U
nle
ss o
ther
wis
e in
dic
ated
, th
e fo
llow
ing e
lder
dat
a, s
tati
stic
s, a
nd t
rends
are
dra
wn f
rom
the
Unit
ed S
tate
s C
ensu
s B
ure
au’s
Sta
tist
ical
Bri
ef S
ixty
-Fiv
e
Plu
s in
the
U.S
. an
d 1
997 C
urr
ent
Popula
tion R
eport
by J
ack M
cNei
l, A
mer
ican
s w
ith D
isab
ilit
ies
House
hold
Eco
nom
ic S
tudie
s, i
ssued
Feb
ruar
y 2
001.
See
U.S
. C
ensu
s B
ure
au d
ata
at w
ww
.cen
sus.
go
v/p
op
ula
tio
n/e
stim
ate
s/st
ate
/st9
8eld
erl
y.t
xt
3M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
eport
of
the
Surg
eon G
ener
al,
ww
w.s
urg
eo
ng
en
era
l.g
ov
/lib
rary
/men
talh
ealt
h/h
om
e.h
tml
4P
oli
cy C
hal
lenges
Pose
d b
y t
he
Agin
g o
f A
mer
ica,
May
1998,
Urb
an I
nst
itute
Boar
d o
f T
rust
ees
Mee
ting;
see
ww
w.u
rban
.org
/healt
h/o
ldp
ol.
htm
l.
9
•O
ur
eld
ers
are
bec
om
ing
mo
re i
sola
ted
fro
m t
hei
r fa
mil
ies.
-M
ost
eld
ers
liv
e al
on
e.
-N
atio
nal
ly,
eld
ers
no
t li
vin
g w
ith
rel
ativ
es o
r li
vin
g a
lon
e w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e p
oo
r (2
5%)
in 1
992,
th
an e
lder
sw
ho
are
liv
ing
in
a f
amil
ial-
typ
e re
lati
on
ship
(6%
).
-E
lder
ly p
aren
ts l
ivin
g a
par
t fr
om
th
eir
chil
dre
n a
re m
ore
lik
ely
to
use
so
cial
ser
vic
es t
han
eld
erly
par
ents
res
idin
gw
ith
th
eir
chil
dre
n.5
-E
lder
ly w
om
en o
utn
um
ber
eld
erly
men
, an
d a
re l
ess
lik
ely
th
an m
en t
o l
ive
in a
fam
ily
set
tin
g.
Aft
er a
ge
75, m
ost
wo
men
are
wid
ow
ed a
nd
liv
e al
on
e, w
hil
e m
ost
men
are
mar
ried
an
d l
ive
wit
h t
hei
r w
ives
. T
hu
s, w
hil
e m
ost
eld
erly
men
hav
e a
spo
use
fo
r as
sist
ance
, esp
ecia
lly
wh
en h
ealt
h f
ails
, mo
st e
lder
ly w
om
en d
o n
ot.
In
199
3, 8
in 1
0n
on
inst
itu
tio
nal
ized
eld
erly
wh
o l
ived
alo
ne
wer
e w
om
en.
-T
he
lik
elih
oo
d o
f li
vin
g i
n a
nu
rsin
g h
om
e in
crea
ses
wit
h a
ge.
In
199
0, o
ver
73,
000
Flo
rid
ian
s re
sid
ed i
n n
urs
ing
ho
mes
. N
inet
y p
erce
nt
of
all
nu
rsin
g h
om
e re
sid
ents
are
eld
erly
; 7 i
n 1
0 ar
e fe
mal
e, a
nd
1 i
n 3
is
a w
om
an a
ged
85
or
ov
er.
•A
s th
e p
op
ula
tio
n a
ges
, mo
re p
eop
le w
ill f
ace
bec
om
ing
dep
end
ent
on
oth
ers
for
hel
p in
per
form
ing
th
e ac
tiv
itie
s o
f d
aily
liv
ing
-T
he
lik
elih
oo
d o
f h
avin
g a
dis
abil
ity
in
crea
ses
wit
h a
ge.
In
199
7, a
mo
ng
th
ose
65
to 6
9 y
ears
old
, 44
.9%
ad
so
me
form
of
dis
abil
ity
, 30.
7% h
ad a
sev
ere
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 8
.1%
nee
ded
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
Fo
r th
ose
80
yea
rs o
ld a
nd
ov
er, 7
3.6%
had
so
me
form
of
dis
abil
ity
, 57.
6% h
ad a
sev
ere
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 3
4.9%
nee
ded
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
-In
199
0, e
lder
ly p
erso
ns
wit
h a
sel
f-ca
re o
r m
ob
ilit
y l
imit
atio
n w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e p
oo
r (2
0%)
than
eld
erly
per
son
s w
ith
ou
t su
ch l
imit
atio
ns
(11%
).
-T
he
rate
of
fun
ctio
nal
lim
itat
ion
is
hig
her
am
on
g e
lder
ly B
lack
s th
an W
hit
es.
Am
on
g t
he
po
pu
lati
on
65
yea
rs a
nd
ov
er,
59%
of
Bla
cks
had
on
e o
r m
ore
fu
nct
ion
al l
imit
atio
ns
com
par
ed w
ith
49%
of
Wh
ites
. T
he
lim
itat
ion
s w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e se
ver
e am
on
g e
lder
ly B
lack
s, a
s 40
% h
ad l
imit
atio
ns
that
wer
e se
ver
e co
mp
ared
wit
h 2
7% o
fW
hit
e el
der
ly.6
-O
ver
all,
in
199
7 w
om
en m
ade
up
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
the
ind
ivid
ual
s w
ith
dis
abil
itie
s, i
ncl
ud
ing
sev
ere
dis
abil
itie
s,an
d t
ho
se n
eed
ing
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
5N
amk
ee G
. Ch
oi,
“P
atte
rns
and
Det
erm
inan
ts o
f S
oci
al S
erv
ice
Uti
liza
tio
n:
Co
mp
aris
on
of
the
Ch
ild
less
Eld
erly
an
d E
lder
ly P
aren
tsL
ivin
g W
ith
or
Ap
art
fro
m T
hei
r C
hil
dre
n,”
T
he
Ger
on
tolo
gis
t, V
ol.
34,
No
. 3,
199
4, p
p.
353-
362.
6U
nit
ed S
tate
s C
ensu
s B
ure
au’s
Sta
tist
ical
Bri
ef S
ixty
-Fiv
e P
lus
in t
he
U.S
. an
d 1
997
Cu
rren
t P
op
ula
tio
n R
epo
rt b
y J
ack
McN
eil,
Am
eric
ans
wit
h D
isab
ilit
ies
Ho
use
ho
ld E
con
om
ic S
tud
ies,
iss
ued
Feb
ruar
y 2
001;
see
ww
w.c
ensu
s.g
ov
/p
op
ula
tio
n/
esti
mat
es/
stat
e/st
98el
der
ly.t
xt
10
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, ad
ult
s o
f an
y a
ge
may
bec
om
e in
cap
acit
ated
an
d r
equ
ire
the
app
oin
tmen
t o
f a
gu
ard
ian
, on
an
eit
her
per
man
ent
or
tem
po
rary
bas
is.
Oft
enti
mes
, g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
s n
eces
sary
to
en
sure
th
e ca
re o
f in
div
idu
als
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
sw
ho
hav
e re
ach
ed t
he
age
of
maj
ori
ty.
Men
tal d
iso
rder
s m
ay a
lso
req
uir
e th
e ap
po
intm
ent
of
a g
uar
dia
n.
As
stat
ed in
a r
ecen
tre
po
rt b
y t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Su
rgeo
n G
ener
al, “
men
tal
hea
lth
an
d m
enta
l il
lnes
ses
are
imp
ort
ant
con
cern
s at
all
ag
es.7
” S
om
eil
lust
rati
ve
fact
s fo
llo
w:
•N
earl
y 2
mil
lio
n p
eop
le, o
r al
mo
st 2
2%, o
f th
e ci
vil
ian
no
nin
stit
uti
on
aliz
ed p
op
ula
tio
n in
Flo
rid
a b
etw
een
th
e ag
es o
f 21
and
64,
hav
e a
dis
abil
ity
.8
•D
evel
op
men
tal
Dis
abil
itie
s:
-A
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y i
s a
chro
nic
co
nd
itio
n t
hat
sig
nif
ican
tly
lim
its
a p
erso
n’s
ab
ilit
y t
o s
pea
k,
hea
r, s
ee,
wal
k,
lear
n,
or
per
form
fu
nd
amen
tal
task
s in
vo
lved
in
pro
vid
ing
sel
f-ca
re,
liv
ing
in
dep
end
entl
y,
or
earn
ing
ali
vin
g.7
-T
he
maj
ori
ty o
f p
eop
le w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
hav
e m
ore
th
an o
ne
dis
abil
ity
, an
d m
ost
hav
e d
isab
lin
gco
nd
itio
ns
that
are
in
tell
ectu
al o
r em
oti
on
al i
n n
atu
re.7
-B
ecau
se t
hei
r d
isab
ilit
ies
rest
rict
th
eir
com
mu
nic
atio
n, m
ob
ilit
y, a
nd
ab
ilit
y t
o c
are
for
them
selv
es, p
eop
le w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
may
rel
y o
n a
ssis
tan
ce f
rom
oth
ers.
9
-S
even
teen
per
cen
t (1
7%)
of
Un
ited
Sta
tes
chil
dre
n u
nd
er 1
8 h
ave
a d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 2
% o
f sc
ho
ol-
aged
ch
ild
ren
in
th
e U
nit
ed S
tate
s h
ave
a se
rio
us
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y s
uch
as
men
tal
reta
rdat
ion
.10
•M
enta
l D
iso
rder
s:1
1
-M
enta
l d
iso
rder
s ar
e h
ealt
h c
on
dit
ion
s th
at a
re c
har
acte
rize
d b
y a
lter
atio
ns
in t
hin
kin
g, m
oo
d, o
r b
ehav
ior
asso
-ci
ated
wit
h d
istr
ess
and
/o
r im
pai
red
fu
nct
ion
ing
.
7M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
epo
rt o
f th
e S
urg
eon
Gen
eral
, ww
w.s
urg
eon
gen
eral
.go
v/
lib
rary
/m
enta
lhea
lth
/h
om
e.h
tml .
8U
.S.
Cen
sus
Bu
reau
, C
ensu
s 20
00.
9F
lori
da
Dev
elo
pm
enta
l D
isab
ilit
ies
Co
un
cil,
In
c., w
ww
.fd
cc.o
rg;
see
also
Ch
apte
r 39
3, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.1
0C
DC
Nat
ion
al C
ente
r o
n B
irth
Def
ects
an
d D
evel
op
men
tal
Dis
abil
itie
s, w
ww
.cd
c.g
ov
/n
cbd
dd
/d
d/.
11M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
epo
rt o
f th
e S
urg
eon
Gen
eral
, ww
w.s
urg
eon
gen
eral
.go
v/
lib
rary
/m
enta
lhea
lth
/h
om
e.h
tml ;
see
also
Ch
apte
r 39
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
11
-D
evas
tati
ng
dis
ord
ers
such
as
sch
izo
ph
ren
ia, d
epre
ssio
n a
nd
bip
ola
r d
iso
rder
, dem
enti
a in
clu
din
gA
lzh
eim
er’s
dis
ease
, an
d a
ran
ge
of
oth
er m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s af
fect
nea
rly
on
e in
fiv
e A
mer
ican
s in
an
yy
ear.
-In
th
e U
nit
ed S
tate
s, m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s co
llec
tiv
ely
acc
ou
nt
for
mo
re t
han
15%
of
the
ov
eral
l b
urd
en o
fd
ise
ase
fro
m a
ll c
au
ses
an
d s
lig
htl
y m
ore
th
an
th
e b
urd
en
ass
oci
ate
d w
ith
all
fo
rms
of
can
cer.
-T
he
soci
al c
on
seq
uen
ces
of
seri
ou
s m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s, s
uch
as
fam
ily
dis
rup
tio
n, l
oss
of
emp
loy
men
tan
d h
ou
sin
g, c
an b
e ca
lam
ito
us.
Flo
rid
a’s
yo
uth
po
pu
lati
on
(ag
es 0
-19)
has
als
o s
ho
wn
in
crea
sin
g g
row
th r
ates
ov
er t
he
pas
t30
yea
rs a
nd
no
w a
cco
un
ts f
or
ov
er 2
5% o
f th
e S
tate
’s p
op
ula
tio
n.1
2 I
n c
ircu
mst
ance
s w
her
eth
e p
aren
ts d
ie o
r b
eco
me
inca
pac
itat
ed o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
in
her
itan
ce o
r p
roce
eds
of
ala
wsu
it o
r in
sura
nce
po
licy
ex
ceed
ing
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
, th
e co
urt
mu
st a
pp
oin
ta
gu
ard
ian
.
Th
e in
evit
able
ag
ing
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n, a
lon
g w
ith
sit
uat
ion
s le
adin
g t
o m
ino
r g
uar
d-
ian
ship
as
wel
l as
th
e in
cid
ence
of
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
and
men
tal
dis
ord
ers,
wil
lin
flu
ence
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy c
on
sid
erat
ion
s fo
r th
e fo
rese
eab
le f
utu
re,
and
in
div
idu
als,
fam
ilie
s,an
d g
ov
ern
men
ts w
ill
be
forc
ed t
o c
on
fro
nt
soci
al,
eco
no
mic
, an
d e
thic
al c
ho
ices
. A
lrea
dy
the
Flo
rid
a le
gal
sy
stem
is
con
fro
nti
ng
iss
ues
an
d s
eek
ing
an
swer
s to
ess
enti
al i
ssu
es,
such
as h
ow
th
e co
urt
s w
ill
be
able
to
ad
equ
atel
y e
xer
cise
th
eir
leg
al, e
thic
al, a
nd
mo
ral
resp
on
si-
bil
itie
s to
mo
nit
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
pro
tect
th
e in
cap
acit
ated
war
ds
entr
ust
ed t
o t
hei
rca
re.
Th
e ex
pan
din
g c
ult
ura
l dif
fere
nce
s o
f w
ard
s in
th
e fu
ture
wil
l als
o d
eman
d a
n in
crea
s-in
g c
ult
ura
l co
mp
eten
ce a
mo
ng
jud
ges
an
d c
ou
rt s
taff
ass
ign
ed t
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
12F
lori
da
Dem
ogra
phic
Sum
mar
y,
updat
ed O
ctober
2002,
The
Flo
rida
Leg
isla
ture
, O
ffic
e of
Eco
nom
ic &
Dem
ogra
phic
Res
earc
h;
see
ww
w.s
tate
.fl.
us/
ed
r/
po
pu
lati
on
.htm
.
Sce
na
rio
: A
fa
the
r is
kil
led
in
an
au
tom
ob
ile
acci
den
t, l
eav
ing
a w
ife
an
d t
hre
e m
ino
r ch
il-
dre
n.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip is
nec
essa
ry t
o s
ettl
e th
eca
se,
all
oca
te t
he
pro
-ce
ed
s b
etw
ee
n
the
mo
the
r a
nd
ch
ild
ren
,a
nd
re
ceiv
e
the
chil
dre
n’s
sh
are
of
the
pro
ceed
s.
12
EF
FE
CT
IVE
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
MO
NIT
OR
ING
IS
ES
SE
NT
IAL
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is a
dis
tin
ct a
nd
un
iqu
e ty
pe
of
case
. U
nli
ke
oth
er c
ases
, gu
ard
ian
ship
s m
ay r
emai
n o
pen
fo
r y
ears
or
even
dec
ades
, par
ticu
larl
y i
n c
ases
in
vo
lvin
g i
nd
ivid
ual
s w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
or
men
tal
dis
ord
ers.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is a
lso
dif
fere
nt
bec
ause
alt
ho
ug
h i
t b
egin
s w
ith
an
ad
ver
sari
al h
eari
ng
, o
nce
in
cap
acit
y h
as b
een
det
erm
ined
, th
ere
are
usu
ally
no
“ad
ver
sari
es”
to b
rin
g c
on
cern
s to
th
e co
urt
’s a
tten
tio
n.
Th
us,
th
e co
urt
mu
st b
e p
roac
tiv
e to
dis
cov
er a
nd
resp
on
d t
o d
isp
ute
s an
d i
ssu
es.
Th
e ro
le o
f a
gu
ard
ian
is h
igh
ly c
om
ple
x, i
nv
olv
ing
leg
al, m
edic
al, s
oci
al, f
inan
cial
, an
d p
sych
olo
gic
al d
imen
sio
ns.
Man
yg
uar
dia
ns
are
fam
ily
mem
ber
s o
f th
e w
ard
s an
d h
ave
no
ex
per
ien
ce w
ith
gu
ard
ian
ship
. T
hes
e fa
mil
y m
emb
ers
may
be
emp
loy
ed a
nd
hav
e ch
ild
ren
fo
r w
ho
m t
hey
mu
st c
are,
wh
ile
sim
ult
aneo
usl
y s
erv
ing
as
gu
ard
ian
fo
r th
eir
agin
g p
aren
tso
r o
ther
in
cap
acit
ated
fam
ily
mem
ber
s. M
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le jo
b p
rote
ctin
g t
he
inte
rest
s o
f th
ew
ard
s, b
ut
som
e n
eed
ad
dit
ion
al g
uid
ance
an
d o
ver
sig
ht.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
r ca
n a
ssis
t g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys
inco
rrec
tin
g m
ino
r p
rob
lem
s an
d b
y m
akin
g r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns
for
that
co
rrec
tio
n t
o t
he
cou
rt.
Su
ch g
uid
ance
by
th
e g
uar
d-
ian
ship
mo
nit
or
can
oft
en a
llev
iate
th
e n
eed
fo
r a
cou
rt h
eari
ng
, th
ereb
y c
on
serv
ing
ju
dic
ial
reso
urc
es f
or
tho
se f
ewin
stan
ces
in w
hic
h g
uar
dia
ns
are
mis
usi
ng
th
eir
auth
ori
ty.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
req
uir
es o
n-g
oin
g c
ou
rt in
vo
lvem
ent
and
su
per
vis
ion
. In
198
6, t
he
Nat
ion
al C
on
fere
nce
of
the
Jud
icia
ry o
nG
uar
dia
nsh
ip P
roce
edin
gs
for
the
Eld
erly
sai
d t
hat
“g
iven
th
e lo
ss o
f li
ber
ties
in
vo
lved
, th
e v
uln
erab
ilit
y o
f el
der
lyw
ard
s, a
nd
th
e n
eed
to
en
sure
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
alte
rnat
ive,
it
is e
ssen
tial
th
at t
he
cou
rt r
ecei
ve
and
rev
iew
in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
the
stat
us
and
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
,an
d a
ctio
ns
the
gu
ard
ian
has
tak
en.”
G
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g i
s a
mec
han
ism
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s ca
n u
se t
o r
evie
w a
gu
ard
ian
’s a
ctiv
itie
s, a
sses
s th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
of
the
war
d, a
nd
en
sure
th
at t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
are
bei
ng
pro
tect
ed.
It is
als
o c
lear
th
at f
un
din
g o
f ad
dit
ion
al ju
dg
esh
ips
to r
edu
ce t
he
nu
mb
er o
f g
uar
d-
ian
ship
cas
es t
hat
an
in
div
idu
al j
ud
ge
mu
st o
ver
see
is n
eith
er c
ost
eff
ecti
ve
no
rp
oss
ible
giv
en t
he
curr
ent
con
dit
ion
of
Flo
rid
a’s
eco
no
my
. H
ow
ever
, by
em
plo
yin
gb
usi
nes
s-li
ke
pra
ctic
es, u
sin
g s
up
po
rt p
erso
nn
el, a
nd
im
ple
men
tin
g t
ech
no
log
y t
om
anag
e in
form
atio
n r
ecei
ved
by
th
e co
urt
, it
wil
l be
po
ssib
le t
o a
cco
mp
lish
mu
ch o
fth
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht
req
uir
emen
ts c
od
ifie
d b
y t
he
Leg
isla
ture
in
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e m
issi
on
of
gua
rdia
nsh
ipm
on
ito
rin
g is
to
co
llec
t, p
rov
ide,
an
d e
va
lua
te i
nfo
rma
tio
n a
bo
ut
the
wel
l-b
ein
g a
nd
pro
per
ty o
f a
llp
erso
ns
ad
jud
ica
ted
of
ha
vin
g a
lega
l in
cap
aci
ty s
o t
ha
t th
e co
urt
can
fu
lfil
l it
s le
gal
ob
liga
tio
n t
op
rote
ct a
nd
pre
serv
e th
e in
tere
sts
of
the
wa
rd, a
nd
th
ereb
y p
rom
ote
con
fid
ence
in
th
e ju
dic
ial
pro
cess
.
13
TH
E C
UR
RE
NT
SIT
UA
TIO
N I
N F
LO
RID
A I
S D
ES
CR
IBE
D A
T P
UB
LIC
HE
AR
ING
S
At
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s ar
ou
nd
th
e st
ate,
th
e C
om
mit
tee
hea
rd t
esti
mo
ny
ab
ou
t th
e n
eed
fo
r in
crea
sed
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t o
f g
uar
dia
n-
ship
cas
es, a
s w
ell
as a
deq
uat
e re
sou
rces
to
en
able
all
th
e p
rofe
ssio
nal
s in
vo
lved
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
to
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
yp
erfo
rm t
hei
r re
spec
tiv
e fu
nct
ion
s.
Jud
icia
l In
pu
t
Th
e S
ixth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
Th
e S
ixth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
has
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g s
taff
wh
o a
re f
un
ded
by
Pas
co a
nd
Pin
ella
s co
un
ties
. T
he
circ
uit
is
no
w u
tili
zin
g t
he
firm
s an
d a
ud
it p
roce
du
res
dev
elo
ped
in
th
e S
even
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it.
Th
e T
hir
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
In la
rger
cir
cuit
s w
her
e th
e ca
selo
ads
war
ran
t a
sep
arat
e d
ivis
ion
, ty
pic
ally
on
e o
r v
ery
few
jud
ges
are
ass
ign
ed t
o t
he
Pro
bat
e,G
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
Men
tal H
ealt
h D
ivis
ion
. In
sm
alle
r ci
rcu
its,
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
re u
sual
ly h
eard
by
an
y o
f th
e ju
dg
es w
ho
are
assi
gn
ed t
o t
he
gen
eral
Civ
il D
ivis
ion
. Ju
dg
e S
usa
n S
exto
n, A
dm
inis
trat
ive
Jud
ge
of
the
Pro
bat
e D
ivis
ion
in t
he
Th
irte
enth
Jud
icia
l C
ircu
it,
is t
he
on
ly j
ud
ge
assi
gn
ed t
o o
ver
see
app
rox
imat
ely
7,0
00 p
rob
ate,
gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d m
enta
l h
ealt
h c
ases
.W
hen
sh
e w
as i
nit
iall
y a
ssig
ned
to
th
e d
ivis
ion
, sh
e re
ceiv
ed o
nly
th
e g
uar
dia
n r
epo
rt a
nd
a c
om
pu
tati
on
of
the
fin
anci
alre
po
rt,
wh
ich
was
per
form
ed b
y t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice.
A
s a
jud
ge,
sh
e w
as c
on
cern
ed t
hat
sh
e h
ad n
eith
er t
he
tim
e n
or
adeq
uat
etr
ain
ing
to
pro
per
ly r
evie
w t
he
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns.
S
he
bel
iev
es t
hat
ad
dit
ion
al j
ud
icia
l ed
uca
tio
nsh
ou
ld b
e p
rov
ided
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
rep
ort
s.
Pri
or
to t
he
esta
bli
shm
ent
of
the
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
ther
e w
as n
o c
ase
man
agem
ent
and
on
ly l
imit
ed ju
dic
ial
asse
ssm
ent
for
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n t
he
Th
irte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
he
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
was
est
abli
shed
in
Oct
ob
er 1
999,
th
rou
gh
gra
nt
fun
din
g f
rom
mu
ltip
le s
ou
rces
. W
ith
th
e C
ente
r’s
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
, th
e co
urt
no
w h
as t
he
abil
ity
to
ap
pro
pri
atel
yre
vie
w g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
an
d m
ake
info
rmed
dec
isio
ns
reg
ard
ing
th
e w
ard
s.
Th
e E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r u
tili
zes
a g
uar
dia
n-
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m t
hat
in
clu
des
bo
th p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff a
nd
vo
lun
teer
in
tern
s fr
om
th
e U
niv
ersi
ty o
f S
ou
th F
lori
da
Sch
oo
l o
f S
oci
al W
ork
an
d S
tets
on
Un
iver
sity
Co
lleg
e o
f L
aw.
Th
e C
ente
r’s
go
al i
s to
vis
it e
ver
y w
ard
at
leas
t o
nce
a y
ear.
Th
e le
ng
th o
f ti
me
it t
akes
to
rev
iew
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ile
is r
epo
rted
to
ran
ge
fro
m 3
0 m
inu
tes
to f
ou
r h
ou
rs,
wh
ich
in
clu
des
rev
iew
of
the
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns
are
aud
ited
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
rep
ort
s ar
eco
mp
lete
. E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r st
aff
loo
k f
or
con
tin
uit
y a
nd
ch
ang
es s
ince
th
e la
st r
epo
rts
wer
e fi
led
. T
hey
als
o r
evie
w t
he
rep
ort
s to
en
sure
th
at a
ll q
ues
tio
ns
hav
e b
een
th
oro
ug
hly
an
swer
ed a
nd
ad
equ
ate
info
rmat
ion
has
bee
n p
rov
ided
. If
a p
ote
n-
tial
pro
ble
m is
no
ted
in t
he
init
ial r
evie
w, i
t m
ay r
esu
lt in
th
e ca
se b
ein
g “
flag
ged
” an
d a
co
urt
mo
nit
or
bei
ng
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
jud
ge
pu
rsu
ant
to s
ecti
on
744
.107
, Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes.
14
Th
e F
ifte
en
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Jud
ge
Joh
n W
esse
l, o
f th
e F
ifte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, to
ld t
he
Co
mm
itte
e th
at d
uri
ng
his
ser
vic
e in
th
e P
rob
ate
Div
isio
n h
eb
ecam
e aw
are
that
jud
ges
an
d c
lerk
s o
f co
urt
– d
esp
ite
thei
r b
est
effo
rts
– w
ere
stil
l m
issi
ng
a l
ot
of
pro
ble
ms
in g
uar
dia
nsh
ipca
ses.
He
pro
vid
ed b
ack
gro
un
d in
form
atio
n o
n t
he
dev
elo
pm
ent
of
the
AA
RP
mo
del
fo
r v
olu
nte
er g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rs.
Inth
e A
AR
P m
od
el,
cou
rts
uti
lize
vo
lun
teer
s to
res
earc
h t
he
file
s, v
isit
th
e w
ard
s, a
nd
rep
ort
bac
k t
o t
he
cou
rt.
Ju
dg
e W
esse
ln
ote
d t
hat
th
e A
AR
P w
ith
dre
w f
rom
th
e in
itia
tiv
e in
199
8 an
d t
he
nat
ion
al p
roje
ct l
ead
er h
as s
ince
ret
ired
, so
sta
te c
ou
rts
are
no
w o
n t
hei
r o
wn
wit
h i
mp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f th
e p
rog
ram
.
Jud
ge
Wes
sel
succ
essf
ull
y i
mp
lem
ente
d a
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Fif
teen
th C
ircu
it,
wit
h v
ery
lit
tle
tax
pay
erfu
nd
ing
. H
ow
ever
, th
ere
are
dra
wb
ack
s to
th
e v
olu
nte
er m
od
el, h
e in
dic
ated
. F
or
exam
ple
, th
e fi
nan
cial
au
dit
ing
fu
nct
ion
was
excl
ud
ed f
rom
th
e v
olu
nte
er p
rog
ram
in
th
e F
ifte
enth
Cir
cuit
bec
ause
of
con
fid
enti
alit
y c
on
cern
s.
Oth
er l
imit
atio
ns
of
the
pro
gra
m i
ncl
ud
e th
e fa
ct t
hat
th
ey a
re o
nly
ab
le t
o s
erv
e o
ne-
hal
f o
f th
e co
un
ty a
nd
th
e co
nti
nu
ing
ch
alle
ng
e o
f m
oti
vat
ing
peo
ple
to
ser
ve
as v
olu
nte
ers.
Nev
erth
eles
s, t
hes
e v
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
rs a
re t
he
eyes
an
d e
ars
of
the
cou
rt,
and
are
a s
afeg
uar
d f
or
the
war
d.
Aft
er r
ecei
vin
gtr
ain
ing
, th
e v
olu
nte
er is
req
uir
ed t
o r
evie
w t
he
file
, vis
it t
he
war
d, a
nd
co
mp
lete
rep
ort
fo
rms.
Th
e co
urt
has
fo
un
d t
hat
ab
ou
t20
% o
f th
e w
ard
s w
ho
are
vis
ited
hav
e so
me
kin
d o
f p
rob
lem
th
at n
eed
s to
be
add
ress
ed.
Aft
er r
evie
win
g t
he
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
or’
s re
po
rt, t
he
cou
rt t
akes
fo
llo
w-u
p a
ctio
n w
hen
nec
essa
ry a
nd
ap
pro
pri
ate.
If
th
ere
app
ears
to
be
a su
bst
anti
al p
rob
-le
m,
Jud
ge
Wes
sel
may
ap
po
int
an e
xp
erie
nce
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
co
urt
mo
nit
or
to f
urt
her
in
ves
tig
ate
the
situ
atio
n,
pri
or
to c
ou
rtac
tio
n.
Th
e S
ev
en
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Bo
b T
wo
mey
, su
per
vis
or
of
the
cou
rt m
on
ito
r u
nit
in
th
e S
even
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it,
spo
ke
abo
ut
thei
r p
rog
ram
wh
ich
was
esta
bli
shed
ap
pro
xim
atel
y s
ix y
ears
ag
o.
Th
ey p
erfo
rm t
wo
maj
or
fun
ctio
ns:
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s g
ener
ated
by
co
urt
ord
ers
tog
uar
d a
gai
nst
ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct,
exp
loit
atio
n,
and
th
eft;
an
d a
nn
ual
bac
kg
rou
nd
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
on
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns.
Th
ere
are
ov
er 5
,000
act
ive
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n B
row
ard
Co
un
ty.
Th
e u
nit
co
nd
uct
s ab
ou
t 40
0 fi
eld
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
per
yea
r,an
d t
hei
r ef
fort
s h
ave
un
cov
ered
cri
mes
th
at r
esu
lted
in
ref
erra
ls t
o t
he
stat
e at
torn
ey f
or
pro
secu
tio
n.
Mr.
Tw
om
ey n
ote
d t
hat
in h
is e
xp
erie
nce
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
crim
es a
re c
om
mit
ted
by
fam
ily
-mem
ber
gu
ard
ian
s, r
ath
er t
han
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns.
Mr.
Tw
om
ey b
elie
ves
ev
ery
cir
cuit
sh
ou
ld h
ave
a m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f w
ard
s.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
also
rec
eiv
ed a
pre
sen
tati
on
on
th
e ac
cou
nti
ng
so
ftw
are
dev
elo
ped
by
th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it,
wh
ich
was
des
ign
ed t
o a
dd
ress
in
con
sist
enci
es a
nd
pro
ble
ms
that
wer
e o
ccu
rrin
g o
n a
reg
ula
r b
asis
. W
ith
in
pu
t fr
om
th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rtan
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
tto
rney
s, t
he
cou
rt d
evel
op
ed a
nd
im
ple
men
ted
sta
nd
ard
ized
gu
ard
ian
ship
acc
ou
nti
ng
an
d p
lan
fo
rms
that
all
ow
th
e co
urt
to
co
nd
uct
mo
re e
ffec
tiv
e an
d e
ffic
ien
t re
vie
ws
of
the
init
ial i
nv
ento
ry, a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
, in
itia
l pla
n, a
nd
ann
ual
pla
n.
15
Th
e st
and
ard
ized
rep
ort
ing
fo
rms
resu
lted
in m
ore
co
mp
lete
fil
ing
s, r
edu
ced
co
rres
po
nd
ence
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
th
e g
uar
d-
ian
, gre
ater
eff
ecti
ven
ess
and
eff
icie
ncy
du
rin
g t
he
init
ial r
evie
w o
f fi
lin
gs,
a r
edu
ctio
n in
rev
iew
tim
e, a
red
uct
ion
in b
ack
log
ged
fili
ng
s, a
nd
mo
re t
ime
avai
lab
le t
o p
erfo
rm d
etai
led
au
dit
s.
Th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it e
stab
lish
ed a
th
ree-
lev
el a
ud
it p
rog
ram
th
at u
tili
zes
the
stan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
s:
•L
evel
On
e: a
ud
it a
ll a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
s w
ith
a f
ive-
step
au
dit
pro
cess
.•
Lev
el T
wo
: per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
all
rep
ort
s th
at a
re f
ou
nd
to
be
in c
om
pli
ance
at
Lev
el O
ne
wit
h L
evel
Tw
och
eck
list
.•
Lev
el T
hre
e: p
erfo
rm s
tati
stic
al s
amp
lin
g o
f co
mp
lain
t re
po
rts
fro
m L
evel
Tw
o.
Det
aile
d i
n-h
ou
se a
nd
fie
ld a
ud
its
of
sup
po
rtin
g d
ocu
men
tati
on
wil
l b
e p
erfo
rmed
on
th
e se
lect
ed s
amp
le.
Th
e E
igh
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Jud
ge
Nan
cy A
lley
, fro
m t
he
Eig
hte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, wh
o s
erv
ed a
s b
oth
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
an
d a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
or-
ney
pri
or
to b
eco
min
g a
jud
ge,
ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
the
abil
ity
to
do
her
job
wel
l in
th
e ab
sen
ce o
f co
urt
sta
ff t
o a
ssis
t w
ith
rev
iew
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e cl
erk
s o
f co
urt
in
th
e E
igh
teen
th C
ircu
it p
erfo
rm e
xce
llen
t fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s, s
he
said
, b
ut
ther
e ar
e o
ther
pro
ble
ms
that
are
no
t o
bv
iou
s o
n p
aper
. A
mo
ng
th
e p
rob
lem
s sh
e h
as o
bse
rved
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es:
gu
ard
-ia
ns
are
no
t fi
lin
g t
hei
r an
nu
al r
epo
rts
on
tim
e, g
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t sh
ow
up
fo
r h
eari
ng
s in
res
po
nse
to
ord
ers
to s
ho
w c
ause
, an
dg
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t co
op
erat
e w
ith
th
eir
atto
rney
s. I
f re
sou
rces
wer
e av
aila
ble
, sh
e w
ou
ld h
ire
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
to
ass
ist
in m
on
ito
r-in
g t
he
tim
elin
ess
of
fili
ng
s, r
evie
win
g t
he
resu
lts
of
the
cler
k’s
au
dit
, co
nd
uct
ing
sp
ot
chec
ks,
an
d p
erfo
rmin
g m
enta
l h
ealt
hfo
llo
w-u
ps.
Cle
rk o
f C
ou
rt I
np
ut
Jed
Pit
tman
, Cle
rk o
f C
ou
rt i
n P
asco
Co
un
ty, d
escr
ibed
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
as
real
fo
llo
w-t
hro
ug
h o
n t
he
stat
uto
ry p
rov
i-si
on
s th
at w
ere
enac
ted
to
pro
tect
th
e w
ard
. H
is o
ffic
e u
tili
zes
cert
ifie
d i
nte
rnal
au
dit
ors
, an
d c
on
du
cts
com
pre
hen
siv
e an
dth
oro
ug
h r
evie
ws
of
the
fin
anci
al a
cco
un
tin
gs.
Th
e w
ork
of
the
cou
rt m
on
ito
r su
pp
lem
ents
– n
ot
sup
pla
nts
– t
he
cler
k’s
rev
iew
.M
on
ito
rs a
re t
he
eyes
of
the
cou
rt.
Th
ey c
an s
ee w
het
her
th
e w
ard
act
ual
ly h
as lo
dg
ing
, fo
od
, clo
thin
g, a
nd
tre
atm
ent
app
rop
ri-
ate
to t
he
war
d’s
co
nd
itio
n.
Wal
ly D
ye,
th
e au
dit
or
in t
he
Pas
co C
ou
nty
Cle
rk’s
Off
ice,
als
o s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
wo
rk o
f th
eir
off
ice.
He
rep
ort
ed t
hat
th
ey s
cree
np
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s; h
ow
ever
, st
aff
wh
o w
ork
fo
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e n
ot
scre
ened
. H
e b
elie
ves
sta
ff w
ho
wo
rkd
irec
tly
wit
h w
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e re
qu
ired
to
mee
t so
me
of
the
sam
e re
qu
irem
ents
as
gu
ard
ian
s.
Def
init
ion
s o
f fi
nan
cial
au
dit
ssh
ou
ld b
e d
evel
op
ed a
nd
au
dit
ing
sta
nd
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e ad
op
ted
, he
reco
mm
end
ed.
He
bel
iev
es a
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
sh
ou
ldb
e d
on
e, b
ecau
se i
n t
hei
r ex
per
ien
ce,
rev
iew
ing
on
ly c
ases
wh
ere
a p
rob
lem
is
rep
ort
ed i
s n
ot
suff
icie
nt
to p
rote
ct w
ard
s an
dth
eir
asse
ts.
Tra
inin
g,
exp
erie
nce
, an
d b
ack
gro
un
d o
f au
dit
ors
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
als
o b
e d
efin
ed,
as t
her
e ar
e cu
r-re
ntl
y n
o r
equ
irem
ents
in
th
is r
egar
d.
16
In h
is p
osi
tio
n a
t th
e o
ffic
e o
f th
e C
oll
ier
Co
un
ty C
lerk
of
Co
urt
, Bru
ce B
rist
er a
ud
its
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es w
ith
a t
ota
l of
app
rox
i-m
atel
y $
75 m
illi
on
in
ass
ets.
T
he
aver
age
case
has
ab
ou
t $1
00,0
00 i
n a
sset
s ea
rnin
g 5
% i
nte
rest
. H
e b
elie
ves
fin
anci
al a
ud
its
sho
uld
be
req
uir
ed in
all
ty
pes
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es, w
ith
dif
fere
nt
lev
els
of
aud
it r
evie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Th
e au
dit
or
sho
uld
be
org
aniz
atio
nal
ly lo
cate
d in
th
e P
rob
ate
Dep
artm
ent
of
the
Cle
rk’s
Off
ice,
Bri
ster
sai
d, b
ecau
se t
hat
str
uct
ure
has
co
ntr
ibu
ted
to t
he
succ
ess
of
the
aud
itin
g p
rog
ram
in
Co
llie
r C
ou
nty
, bec
ause
it
allo
ws
him
to
sta
y i
nfo
rmed
ab
ou
t ca
se f
ilin
gs,
hea
rin
gs,
and
oth
er m
atte
rs.
Cit
ize
n I
np
ut
Ste
ve
Ho
wel
ls, a
pro
gra
m d
irec
tor
wit
h t
he
Ad
vo
cacy
Cen
ter
for
Per
son
s w
ith
Dis
abil
itie
s, I
nc.
, sai
d t
her
e is
ab
use
, neg
lect
, an
dm
isu
se o
f w
ard
s’ f
un
ds
in F
lori
da,
as
evid
ence
d b
y t
he
com
pla
ints
rec
eiv
ed b
y t
he
Ad
vo
cacy
Cen
ter
as w
ell
as v
ario
us
med
iare
po
rts.
He
no
ted
th
at w
ard
s ar
e am
on
g t
he
mo
st v
uln
erab
le c
itiz
ens
in o
ur
Sta
te, a
nd
sai
d t
hat
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s n
eed
to
hav
e a
mo
nit
ori
ng
sy
stem
in
pla
ce t
o p
rote
ct w
ard
s.
Sco
tt F
ish
er,
a ci
tize
n f
rom
Pal
m H
arb
or
wh
ose
au
nt
had
bee
n a
war
d,
spo
ke
pas
sio
nat
ely
ab
ou
t th
e co
urt
’s d
uty
to
pro
tect
vu
lner
able
in
div
idu
als.
H
e ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn t
hat
in
cap
acit
ated
per
son
s w
ill
no
t b
e ad
equ
atel
y p
rote
cted
as
lon
g a
s th
ere
are
no
ap
pro
pri
ate
stan
dar
ds,
gu
idel
ines
, an
d o
ver
sig
ht,
on
a s
tate
wid
e b
asis
.
Gu
ard
ian
In
pu
t
Ker
ry F
itzg
eral
d a
nd
Meg
Wo
lf, t
hen
-Pre
sid
ent
and
Vic
e-P
resi
den
t o
f th
e B
row
ard
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip A
sso
ciat
ion
, sai
d it
isa
hig
h c
alli
ng
to
be
app
oin
ted
to
ser
ve
on
beh
alf
of
an i
nca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
n, a
nd
hig
h s
tan
dar
ds
mu
st a
pp
ly.
Th
e A
sso
ciat
ion
sup
po
rts
the
dev
elo
pm
ent
of
stat
ewid
e st
and
ard
s fo
r m
on
ito
rin
g o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
. T
hey
no
ted
th
at F
lori
da’
s ra
pid
ly-
agin
g s
oci
ety
is
vu
lner
able
, an
d t
her
e is
a g
reat
nee
d f
or
qu
alif
ied
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
wh
o a
re w
illi
ng
to
pro
vid
e lo
vin
gca
re, s
ecu
rity
, an
d s
afet
y t
o c
lien
ts, b
ased
on
th
eir
ind
ivid
ual
nee
ds.
Jud
ith
Bax
ter,
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
in P
asco
Co
un
ty, s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
un
ifo
rmit
y in
th
e sy
stem
– a
mo
ng
gu
ard
ian
s,at
torn
eys,
cle
rks,
an
d ju
dg
es.
Th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
yst
em s
ho
uld
be
effe
ctu
ated
in
a m
utu
ally
-res
pec
tfu
l, c
ost
-eff
ecti
ve
man
ner
that
res
ult
s in
th
e b
est
serv
ice
to t
he
war
d.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
hea
rd t
hat
co
urt
pra
ctic
es i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
var
ies
wid
ely
, no
to
nly
fro
m c
ircu
it t
o c
ircu
it b
ut
som
etim
es e
ven
wit
hin
th
e sa
me
cou
nty
. A
dd
itio
nal
ly, t
he
cou
rt’s
ex
pec
tati
on
s ar
e n
ot
alw
ays
clea
r. B
ette
r co
mm
un
icat
ion
am
on
g t
he
cou
rt, a
tto
rney
, an
d g
uar
dia
n s
aves
tim
e, a
s w
ell
as c
on
serv
es t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Pro
fess
ion
als
fro
m a
rou
nd
th
e st
ate
spo
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
stat
ewid
e eq
uit
y in
th
e co
mp
ensa
tio
n o
f g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
was
ad
vis
ed t
hat
man
y h
igh
ly q
ual
ifie
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
s h
ave
left
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ield
, an
d m
any
pro
fess
ion
als
bel
iev
e th
at t
he
curr
ent
gu
ard
ian
ship
co
mp
ensa
tio
n s
yst
em –
wh
ich
is
cum
ber
som
e an
d s
low
– d
isco
ura
ges
man
y f
rom
en
ter-
ing
th
e p
rofe
ssio
n.
Do
nn
a H
ick
s an
d C
orr
ey P
asto
re, o
f th
e P
inel
las
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip A
sso
ciat
ion
, to
ld t
he
Co
mm
itte
e it
is n
ot
un
usu
al f
or
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
to w
ait
six
mo
nth
s fo
r th
eir
firs
t p
aym
ent.
17
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, g
uar
dia
n f
ees
are
freq
uen
tly
red
uce
d b
y t
he
pre
sid
ing
ju
dic
ial
off
icer
, w
ith
ou
t fi
rst
info
rmin
g t
he
gu
ard
ian
sab
ou
t th
e d
ocu
men
tati
on
th
e co
urt
wo
uld
lik
e.
Th
ese
dif
ficu
ltie
s ar
e co
mp
ou
nd
ed b
y t
he
hea
vy
lo
ad o
f in
dig
ent
case
s fo
rw
hic
h p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s re
ceiv
e n
o c
om
pen
sati
on
. In
so
me
circ
uit
s, u
p to
50
per
cen
t of
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
’s c
asel
oad
is p
ro b
on
o.
Mr.
Pas
tore
als
o s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Six
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it.
He
said
th
e p
rog
ram
is
wel
l-es
tab
lish
ed, h
avin
g b
een
imp
lem
ente
d in
Pin
ella
s C
ou
nty
pri
or
to 1
990.
Wh
en f
irst
imp
lem
ente
d, t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m w
asg
reet
ed w
ith
fea
r, b
ut
no
w e
ver
yo
ne
wo
rks
tog
eth
er a
nd
th
e p
rog
ram
wo
rks
ver
y w
ell.
H
e b
elie
ves
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t is
nec
es-
sary
. I
n t
hei
r ci
rcu
it,
the
mo
nit
or
firs
t tr
ies
to r
eso
lve
any
iss
ues
in
form
ally
, b
efo
re t
he
pro
ble
m e
scal
ates
. T
he
gu
ard
ian
an
dat
torn
ey a
re n
oti
fied
bef
ore
th
e m
on
ito
r ta
kes
an
iss
ue
to t
he
cou
rt,
bu
t if
th
e m
on
ito
r ca
nn
ot
reso
lve
an i
ssu
e, M
r. P
asto
reb
elie
ves
it
is t
he
mo
nit
or’
s d
uty
to
no
tify
th
e co
urt
.
Joh
n G
ran
t, t
he
init
ial
and
fo
rmer
Ex
ecu
tiv
e D
irec
tor
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e, w
hic
h w
as e
stab
lish
ed i
n19
99, p
oin
ted
ou
t th
at c
urr
entl
y i
n F
lori
da,
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
hav
e v
ery
lim
ited
lic
ensi
ng
an
d t
rain
ing
req
uir
emen
ts, a
nd
ther
e is
no
dis
cip
lin
ary
pro
cess
. F
urt
her
, th
ey a
re n
ot
trea
ted
as
pro
fess
ion
als.
He
bel
iev
es F
lori
da
is f
acin
g n
ot
on
ly a
cri
sis
inin
dig
ent
gu
ard
ian
s, b
ut
also
in
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns.
In
so
me
circ
uit
s, t
her
e is
no
t a
sin
gle
act
ive
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n, h
ep
oin
ted
ou
t.
Nu
mer
ou
s m
emb
ers
of
the
Flo
rid
a S
tate
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Ass
oci
atio
n s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
Ass
oci
atio
n’s
eff
ort
s to
in
crea
se p
rofe
s-si
on
alis
m, t
hro
ug
h t
he
imp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f im
pro
ved
tra
inin
g, a
men
tori
ng
pro
gra
m, a
nd
a s
tate
wid
e re
gis
try
. K
ny
vet
t L
ee, a
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n in
Bro
war
d C
ou
nty
, su
gg
este
d t
hat
im
ple
men
tati
on
of
stan
dar
ds
of
pra
ctic
e w
ou
ld a
llev
iate
so
me
of
the
pro
ble
ms
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
ad
dre
sses
. Ju
dit
h B
axte
r, P
resi
den
t o
f th
e P
asco
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip C
ou
nci
l, e
xp
lain
edth
at s
pec
iali
zed
kn
ow
led
ge
is r
equ
ired
to
per
form
wel
l as
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
. S
he
bel
iev
es t
he
40-h
ou
r tr
ain
ing
co
urs
e is
inad
equ
ate,
an
d t
hat
a m
ore
def
ined
cu
rric
ulu
m i
s n
eces
sary
. S
he
and
oth
er p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ap
pea
rin
g b
efo
re t
he
Co
mm
itte
e su
pp
ort
sta
tew
ide
stan
dar
ds
rela
tin
g t
o b
ack
gro
un
d, e
xp
erie
nce
, an
d t
rain
ing
of
gu
ard
ian
s.
Man
y p
eop
le a
pp
eari
ng
at
the
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s p
rov
ided
inp
ut
on
th
e p
roce
ss o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g.
Gar
y A
rmst
ron
g, a
nac
cou
nta
nt
and
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n in
Bro
war
d C
ou
nty
, sai
d h
e fa
vo
rs m
ore
str
uct
ure
an
d r
evie
w in
th
e co
urt
sy
stem
. C
ou
rtm
on
ito
rin
g is
par
ticu
larl
y im
po
rtan
t in
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, h
e o
bse
rved
, bec
ause
on
ly e
igh
t h
ou
rs o
f tr
ain
ing
is r
equ
ired
(as
com
par
ed t
o t
he
40-h
ou
r co
urs
e fo
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s).
Gu
ard
ian
ship
dea
ls w
ith
co
mp
lex
, d
iffi
cult
iss
ues
, an
d h
e is
ho
pef
ul
that
a f
orm
aliz
ed c
ou
rt m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss w
ill
be
an e
du
cati
on
al t
oo
l to
ass
ist
all
gu
ard
ian
s in
im
pro
vin
g s
erv
ice
tow
ard
s. H
e ad
vo
cate
d t
hat
mo
nit
ori
ng
be
tail
ore
d t
o t
he
ind
ivid
ual
nee
ds,
cir
cum
stan
ces,
an
d f
inan
ces
of
the
war
ds.
In
ord
er t
ou
nd
erst
and
th
e si
tuat
ion
, th
e m
on
ito
rs m
ust
fam
ilia
rize
th
emse
lves
no
t o
nly
wit
h t
he
du
ties
an
d r
esp
on
sib
ilit
ies
of
the
gu
ard
-ia
ns
bu
t al
so t
he
enti
re s
erv
ice
del
iver
y s
yst
em.
Dat
a co
llec
ted
in c
on
cert
wit
h g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g w
ill p
rov
ide
info
rma-
tio
n t
o d
ecis
ion
mak
ers
such
as
the
Su
pre
me
Co
urt
an
d L
egis
latu
re,
and
th
is e
nh
ance
d i
nfo
rmat
ion
co
uld
res
ult
in
im
pro
ve-
men
ts t
o t
he
enti
re g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
yst
em.
1
8
Att
orn
ey
In
pu
t
Mat
thew
Map
er, a
n a
tto
rney
in S
aras
ota
an
d t
hen
-pre
sid
ent
of
the
Flo
rid
a S
tate
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Ass
oci
atio
n, d
escr
ibed
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip a
s a
soci
al i
ssu
e in
a l
egal
fra
mew
ork
. W
hil
e n
oti
ng
th
at c
hec
ks
and
bal
ance
s ar
e im
po
rtan
t in
en
suri
ng
th
e w
ell
bei
ng
of
war
d,
he
bel
iev
es t
he
curr
ent
stat
uto
ry s
chem
e –
if f
ull
y i
mp
lem
ente
d –
wo
uld
pre
ven
t m
any
of
the
pro
ble
ms
rep
ort
ed t
o t
he
Co
mm
itte
e. J
oan
Nel
son
Ho
ok
, an
att
orn
ey, s
ug
ges
ted
th
at b
y r
aisi
ng
th
e co
mp
eten
cy o
f g
uar
dia
ns,
Flo
rid
a ca
n le
ssen
th
e n
eed
for
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
Lau
chli
n W
ald
och
, at
th
at t
ime
chai
r-el
ect
of
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
, ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
the
po
ten
tial
incr
ease
d c
ost
s to
th
e w
ard
an
d g
uar
dia
n i
f an
oth
er l
ayer
of
bu
reau
crac
y i
s ad
ded
to
th
e sy
stem
. S
he
spo
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
flex
ibil
ity
in g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
s, to
all
ow
fo
r d
iffe
ren
t ap
pro
ach
es in
dif
fere
nt a
reas
of
the
stat
e. M
arti
n M
ick
ler,
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
tto
rney
in
Jac
kso
nv
ille
, su
gg
este
d t
hat
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
pro
ble
ms
resu
lt f
rom
in
exp
erie
nce
d o
r in
com
pet
ent
gu
ard
ian
s, r
ath
er t
han
dis
ho
nes
t g
uar
dia
ns.
He
no
ted
th
at m
on
ito
rs s
ho
uld
hav
e ap
pro
pri
ate
qu
alif
icat
ion
s.
Nao
mi
Beh
ar S
mit
h, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
ey i
n B
row
ard
Co
un
ty, e
cho
ed t
he
com
men
ts r
egar
din
g t
he
nee
d f
or
adeq
uat
e tr
ain
-in
g o
f g
uar
dia
n m
on
ito
rs.
A w
ell-
trai
ned
an
d e
xp
erie
nce
d m
on
ito
r ca
n d
o a
n e
xce
llen
t jo
b.
Co
nv
erse
ly,
po
orl
y t
rain
ed o
rin
exp
erie
nce
d c
ou
rt m
on
ito
rs c
an h
ave
an a
dv
erse
im
pac
t:
(a)
on
th
e w
ard
, es
pec
iall
y i
f th
e m
on
ito
r’s
fees
are
pai
d f
rom
th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s; (
b)
on
jud
icia
l re
sou
rces
, sin
ce m
on
ito
r m
ista
kes
wil
l re
qu
ire
a g
ener
al m
aste
r o
r ju
dg
e to
rev
iew
an
d/
or
corr
ect;
and
(c)
in
crea
sed
tim
e o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e g
uar
dia
n a
nd
att
orn
ey t
o r
esp
on
d.
Fo
r th
ese
reas
on
s, M
s. S
mit
h r
eco
mm
end
ed t
hat
fu
nd
ing
fo
r m
on
ito
r tr
ain
ing
be
incl
ud
ed in
th
e co
mm
itte
e’s
reco
mm
end
atio
ns.
Sin
ce g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g w
ill,
in
th
e lo
ng
ru
n, i
mp
rov
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
erv
ices
fo
r al
l w
ard
s, s
he
bel
iev
ed t
he
cost
fo
r th
ese
rvic
e an
d t
rain
ing
sh
ou
ld b
e sp
read
acr
oss
th
e b
oar
d r
ath
er t
han
pai
d f
rom
an
ind
ivid
ual
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Ste
ph
en M
arg
uli
s, a
nat
torn
ey a
nd
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n i
n P
lan
tati
on
, ag
reed
. H
e sa
id a
deq
uat
e fu
nd
ing
is
req
uir
ed f
or
the
wo
rk t
hat
nee
ds
to b
ed
on
e. W
ard
s an
d g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
no
t h
ave
to b
ear
the
enti
re c
ost
of
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
Kn
yv
ett
Lee
in
dic
ated
sh
e h
as h
ad p
osi
tiv
e ex
per
ien
ces
wit
h t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Sev
ente
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, bu
to
bse
rved
th
at t
her
e ar
e p
rob
lem
s w
ith
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
rel
y e
nti
rely
on
vo
lun
teer
s. C
on
cern
s ab
ou
t v
olu
nte
er m
on
i-to
rs w
ere
rep
eate
d b
y p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s fr
om
aro
un
d t
he
stat
e. V
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
rs w
ere
des
crib
ed a
s w
ell m
ean
ing
, bu
to
ften
tim
es la
ckin
g in
kn
ow
led
ge
and
ex
per
ien
ce o
f th
e co
mp
lex
med
ical
, fin
anci
al, a
nd
leg
al is
sues
inv
olv
ed i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip.
Sy
lvia
Win
ters
, a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
in S
aras
ota
an
d M
anat
ee c
ou
nti
es, r
elat
ed t
hat
th
e fo
rmer
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
mo
del
in t
he
Tw
elft
h J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it d
id n
ot
wo
rk w
ell,
an
d d
oes
no
t b
elie
ve
a v
olu
nte
er o
rgan
izat
ion
can
ad
equ
atel
y p
erfo
rm t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
. S
he
rela
ted
an
inci
den
t w
her
ein
th
e v
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
r as
ked
th
e g
uar
dia
n f
or
gu
idan
ce o
n h
ow
to
inv
es-
tig
ate
the
case
.
19
Vet
eran
s’ A
dm
inis
trat
ion
In
pu
t
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
lear
ned
that
the
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Dep
artm
ent o
f Vet
eran
s A
ffai
rs p
erfo
rms
exte
nsi
ve
mo
nit
ori
ng
of V
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ips,
and
th
at t
he
syst
em is
wo
rkin
g w
ell.
Dav
id B
entl
ey, a
fie
ld e
xam
iner
wit
h t
he
U.S
. Dep
artm
ent
of
Vet
eran
s A
ffai
rs, i
s o
ne
of
10fi
eld
ex
amin
ers
in F
lori
da.
H
e sa
id t
hei
r p
rog
ram
is
ver
y s
imil
ar t
o t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m u
tili
zed
by
th
e S
even
teen
thJu
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
hey
clo
sely
mo
nit
or
ever
y c
ase
and
req
uir
e fo
rmal
acc
ou
nti
ng
s in
so
me
case
s.
Fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
rep
ort
sin
clu
de
12 e
lem
ents
, in
clu
din
g p
hy
sica
l an
d m
enta
l co
nd
itio
n, t
he
con
tin
uin
g n
eed
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
oth
er i
ssu
es.
Th
ere
is a
sig
nif
ican
t le
vel
of
rev
iew
an
d t
he
VA
wil
l p
urs
ue
and
pro
secu
te m
isu
se o
f an
y a
mo
un
t o
f m
on
ey o
r b
enef
its.
In
abo
ut
2% o
f th
e ca
ses
they
fin
d c
rim
inal
wro
ng
do
ing
, bu
t in
ab
ou
t 40
% o
f th
e ca
ses
they
hav
e q
ues
tio
ns
that
can
be
reso
lved
thro
ug
h a
dm
inis
trat
ion
act
ion
or
oth
er r
esp
on
se.
Ev
en t
ho
ug
h t
hey
alr
ead
y c
on
du
ct e
xte
nsi
ve
rev
iew
an
d m
on
ito
rin
g,
VA
rep
rese
nta
tiv
es b
elie
ve
it w
ou
ld s
till
be
app
rop
riat
e fo
r th
e co
urt
to
clo
sely
mo
nit
or
VA
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Jam
es H
oll
ing
swo
rth
, a f
ield
ex
amin
er i
n t
he
St.
Pet
ersb
urg
off
ice
des
crib
ed a
mo
nit
or
as s
om
eon
e w
ho
go
es o
ut
into
th
e fi
eld
and
kn
ock
s o
n t
he
war
d’s
do
or,
no
t so
meo
ne
wh
o r
evie
ws
pap
erw
ork
. H
e b
elie
ved
it
was
im
po
rtan
t to
kn
ow
wh
eth
er a
war
dis
bei
ng
car
ed f
or
pro
per
ly.
Pap
ers
can
be
in p
erfe
ct o
rder
, b
ut
pro
ble
ms
are
iden
tifi
ed i
n t
he
fiel
d n
ot
in t
he
off
ice.
H
eo
bse
rved
th
at m
ost
att
orn
eys
and
ev
en s
om
e g
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t ac
tual
ly v
isit
th
e w
ard
. M
on
ito
rs a
lso
rev
iew
th
e im
po
rtan
tas
pec
t o
f th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
env
iro
nm
ent.
Acc
ord
ing
to
Mr.
Ho
llin
gsw
ort
h,
the
VA
fie
ld e
xam
iner
s in
Flo
rid
a m
on
ito
r 5,
300
acti
ve
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, i
ncl
ud
ing
bo
th c
ou
rtan
d n
on
-co
urt
cas
es.
Eac
h f
ield
ex
amin
er s
up
erv
ises
ab
ou
t 50
0 ca
ses.
All
war
ds
are
seen
on
a s
ched
ule
d b
asis
: ev
ery
on
e, t
wo
,o
r th
ree
yea
rs, a
nd
mo
re o
ften
if
ther
e is
a p
rob
lem
.
Mar
tin
Mic
kle
r, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
ey i
n J
ack
son
vil
le, s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
ben
efit
of
the
chec
ks
and
bal
ance
s th
at a
re i
n p
lace
to
ensu
re t
he
war
ds’
pro
tect
ion
in
VA
gu
ard
ian
ship
s.
He
also
op
ined
th
at s
cru
tin
y b
y t
he
VA
fie
ld e
xam
iner
is
a tr
emen
do
us
hel
p.
Mik
e F
ore
man
off
ered
co
mm
ents
an
d o
bse
rvat
ion
s o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e G
uar
dia
nsh
ip C
om
mit
tee
of
the
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, P
rob
ate,
and
Tru
st L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
. H
e sp
ok
e ab
ou
t th
e n
eed
fo
r m
ore
un
ifo
rmit
y a
mo
ng
th
e tr
ial
cou
rts,
in
reg
ard
to
spec
iali
zed
fo
rms,
ap
pro
val
pro
cess
es, a
nd
gu
ard
ian
ship
an
d a
tto
rney
fee
s. T
he
sect
ion
is c
on
cern
ed w
ith
en
suri
ng
ad
her
ence
to d
ue
pro
cess
wh
en m
on
ito
rs a
re u
tili
zed
, an
d b
elie
ves
the
gu
ard
ian
or
atto
rney
sh
ou
ld b
e al
low
ed to
res
po
nd
to th
e m
on
ito
r’s
rep
ort
. M
r. F
ore
man
als
o c
alle
d f
or
enco
ura
gin
g p
ract
itio
ner
s to
en
ter
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
fie
ld, w
her
e p
rofe
ssio
nal
s ar
e co
nti
nu
-al
ly d
eali
ng
wit
h p
eop
le i
n c
rise
s si
tuat
ion
s.
20
MIN
IMU
M S
TA
ND
AR
DS
FO
R G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G
Th
e m
ajo
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e la
w a
bid
ing
an
d a
re d
ilig
entl
y f
ulf
illi
ng
th
eir
com
ple
x r
esp
on
sib
ilit
ies.
H
ow
ever
, a
smal
l p
er-
cen
tag
e ar
e n
ot
pro
per
ly h
and
lin
g g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs,
and
as
a re
sult
, m
on
ito
rin
g m
ay b
e n
eces
sary
. M
inim
um
req
uir
e-m
ents
fo
r co
urt
mo
nit
ori
ng
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
be
esta
bli
shed
. W
hil
e th
e sy
stem
sh
ou
ld b
e fl
exib
le a
nd
rec
og
niz
eth
at o
ne
size
do
es n
ot
fit
all,
th
e in
div
idu
al c
ircu
mst
ance
s o
f th
e w
ard
sh
ou
ld b
e th
e g
uid
ing
fac
tor
rath
er t
han
th
e in
div
idu
alci
rcu
mst
ance
s o
f th
e ci
rcu
it.
It i
s m
ore
eff
icie
nt
and
eff
ecti
ve
– an
d t
her
efo
re i
n e
ver
yo
ne’
s b
est
inte
rest
s –
for
the
cou
rts
to b
e p
roac
tiv
e in
en
suri
ng
co
mp
li-
ance
. T
he
cost
of
no
n-c
om
pli
ance
in
clu
des
fee
s fo
r an
in
ves
tig
ato
r, a
n a
tto
rney
, an
acc
ou
nta
nt,
an
d o
ther
pro
fess
ion
als
as m
ayb
e re
qu
ired
, in
ad
dit
ion
to
an
y p
hy
sica
l, e
mo
tio
nal
, o
r fi
nan
cial
lo
sses
a w
ard
may
su
stai
n.
Lac
k o
f m
on
ito
rin
g b
y t
he
cou
rtim
po
ses
incr
ease
d c
ost
s d
irec
tly
on
vu
lner
able
war
ds
– o
r in
th
e ca
se o
f in
dig
ent
war
ds,
on
th
e ta
xp
ayer
s –
and
dra
ins
re-
sou
rces
. L
ack
of
pro
per
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
mer
ely
sh
ifts
mo
nit
ori
ng
res
po
nsi
bil
itie
s to
att
orn
eys,
fam
ily
mem
ber
s, a
nd
oth
ers
wh
o m
ay n
ot
be
pro
per
ly t
rain
ed o
r eq
uip
ped
to
per
form
th
e f
un
ctio
ns
of
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or.
In
ad
dit
ion
, n
on
-co
mp
lian
ce r
esu
lts
in m
ore
ju
dic
ial
acti
vit
y,
wh
ich
in
tu
rn r
esu
lts
in a
dd
itio
nal
co
sts
to F
lori
da’
sci
tize
ns.
Att
orn
eys
and
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
wh
o a
pp
eare
d b
efo
re t
he
com
mit
tee
rep
eate
dly
ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
du
e p
roce
ssis
sues
ass
oci
ated
wit
h c
on
fid
enti
al c
om
mu
nic
atio
ns
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
r.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e th
or-
ou
gh
ly e
xp
lore
d a
nd
deb
ated
th
e m
atte
r.
Wh
ile
the
com
mit
tee
is s
ensi
tiv
e to
th
e fa
ct t
hat
att
orn
eys
and
gu
ard
ian
s m
ay p
er-
ceiv
e th
ere
is a
po
ten
tial
ex
par
te c
om
mu
nic
atio
n is
sue,
th
e co
mm
itte
e b
elie
ves
th
at in
rea
lity
th
ere
is n
o im
pro
pri
ety
as
lon
g a
sp
rop
er c
ou
rt p
roce
du
res
are
esta
bli
shed
, p
ub
lish
ed,
and
fo
llo
wed
. B
ecau
se t
he
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or
is a
n a
rm o
f th
e co
urt
and
wo
rks
at t
he
dir
ecti
on
of
the
jud
ge,
it
is p
erm
issi
ble
fo
r co
mm
un
icat
ion
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
mo
nit
or
to b
e co
nfi
den
tial
(see
, fo
r ex
amp
le, r
ule
2.0
51(c
)(3)
(b),
Flo
rid
a R
ule
s o
f Ju
dic
ial
Ad
min
istr
atio
n).
Nev
erth
eles
s, t
he
com
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
atin
sofa
r as
po
ssib
le, t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansp
aren
t an
d o
pen
, an
d a
ll c
om
mu
nic
atio
ns
bet
wee
n t
he
mo
nit
or
and
the
jud
ge
sho
uld
be
in w
riti
ng
, bec
om
es p
art
of
the
con
fid
enti
al p
ort
ion
of
the
cou
rt f
ile,
an
d c
op
ies
pro
vid
ed t
o c
ou
nse
l an
do
ther
in
tere
sted
per
son
s as
pre
scri
bed
by
Flo
rid
a la
w.
Th
e m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss s
ho
uld
be
wel
l def
ined
, an
d t
he
lev
el o
f re
vie
w a
nd
act
ion
sh
ou
ld b
e co
mm
ensu
rate
wit
h a
ny
po
ten
tial
for
har
m t
o t
he
war
d.
Th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld b
egin
wit
h t
he
leas
t re
stri
ctiv
e le
vel
of
cou
rt m
on
ito
rin
g t
hat
ad
equ
atel
y a
dd
ress
es t
he
con
cern
. T
he
foll
ow
ing
pro
ced
ure
s ap
ply
to
no
t o
nly
sit
uat
ion
s in
vo
lvin
g t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
bu
t al
so t
he
pro
tect
ion
of
the
war
d’s
ass
ets.
21
1.In
cas
es w
her
e th
ere
do
es n
ot
app
ear
to b
e a
risk
of
seri
ou
s ir
rep
arab
le h
arm
, th
e ac
tio
n s
tep
s b
y t
he
cou
rt, b
ased
up
on
th
e p
rob
lem
id
enti
fied
, sh
ou
ld i
ncl
ud
e:
�T
he
jud
ge
ente
rs a
n o
rder
ap
po
inti
ng
a m
on
ito
r. T
he
war
d, g
uar
dia
n, a
tto
rney
, an
d a
ny
oth
er p
arti
es a
ren
oti
fied
of
the
app
oin
tmen
t u
po
n e
ntr
y o
f th
e o
rder
, as
pre
scri
bed
by
Flo
rid
a la
w.
�T
he
mo
nit
or
wo
rks
wit
h t
he
app
rop
riat
e en
titi
es t
o o
bta
in a
dd
itio
nal
in
form
atio
n, a
nd
su
bm
its
a w
ritt
enre
po
rt o
f fi
nd
ing
s an
d r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns
to t
he
cou
rt.
�T
he
cou
rt t
akes
ap
pro
pri
ate
acti
on
bas
ed u
po
n t
he
rep
ort
, up
to
an
d i
ncl
ud
ing
set
tin
g a
hea
rin
g i
f n
eces
-sa
ry.
Sin
ce t
he
com
mit
tee
lear
ned
th
at m
ost
gu
ard
ian
ship
def
icie
nci
es i
nv
olv
e b
enig
n r
epo
rtin
g d
iscr
ep-
anci
es a
nd
err
ors
, it
seem
s li
kel
y t
hat
man
y m
on
ito
rin
g i
ssu
es w
ill
be
reso
lved
at
this
sta
ge,
wit
ho
ut
the
nee
d f
or
a h
eari
ng
. T
his
alo
ne
sho
uld
red
uce
th
e co
st o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht.
�In
ex
trem
e o
r eg
reg
iou
s si
tuat
ion
s, t
he
cou
rt s
ho
uld
im
po
se a
pp
rop
riat
e sa
nct
ion
s ag
ain
st t
he
gu
ard
ian
and
/o
r at
torn
ey t
o r
ein
forc
e th
e se
rio
us
nat
ure
of
pro
tect
ing
war
ds
and
to
en
cou
rag
e fu
ture
co
mp
lian
ce.
2.
In
cas
es w
her
e it
ap
pea
rs t
her
e is
su
bst
anti
al l
ikel
iho
od
fo
r se
rio
us
irre
par
able
har
m (
sim
ilar
to
th
e in
jun
ctiv
e re
lief
stan
dar
d),
im
med
iate
act
ion
ste
ps
by
th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld i
ncl
ud
e b
ut
no
t b
e li
mit
ed t
o:
�T
he
jud
ge
ente
rs a
n o
rder
ap
po
inti
ng
a m
on
ito
r. A
t th
e ju
dg
e’s
dis
cret
ion
, th
e o
rder
of
app
oin
tmen
t m
ayn
ot
be
mad
e p
ub
lic
un
til
the
jud
ge
det
erm
ines
wh
eth
er t
her
e is
pro
bab
le c
ause
.�
Th
e m
on
ito
r w
ork
s w
ith
th
e ap
pro
pri
ate
enti
ties
to
ob
tain
ad
dit
ion
al i
nfo
rmat
ion
, an
d s
ub
mit
s a
wri
tten
rep
ort
of
fin
din
gs
and
rec
om
men
dat
ion
s to
th
e co
urt
.�
Sim
ult
aneo
usl
y, t
he
cou
rt s
ho
uld
im
med
iate
ly t
ake
any
oth
er a
pp
rop
riat
e ac
tio
ns
the
cou
rt d
eem
s n
eces
-sa
ry i
n a
cco
rdan
ce w
ith
Flo
rid
a la
w, i
ncl
ud
ing
:
-F
ilin
g a
n a
bu
se, n
egle
ct, o
r ex
plo
itat
ion
co
mp
lain
t w
ith
th
e D
epar
tmen
t o
f C
hil
dre
n a
nd
Fam
ilie
s,as
req
uir
ed b
y s
tatu
te.
-R
efer
ral
to l
oca
l la
w e
nfo
rcem
ent
agen
cies
or
the
stat
e at
torn
ey.
-C
on
du
ctin
g i
mm
edia
te h
eari
ng
s.
-
Is
uu
ing
su
bp
eon
as a
nd
su
mm
on
ses.
-E
nte
rin
g a
pp
rop
riat
e in
juct
ion
s in
vo
lvin
g a
sset
s.
-
Pro
vo
kin
g l
ette
rs.
2
2
CO
MP
ON
EN
TS
OF
AN
ID
EA
L G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G P
RO
GR
AM
Th
ere
are
fou
r m
ajo
r se
rvic
e ar
eas
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
dir
ecte
d t
o f
ulf
illi
ng
th
e p
urp
ose
. E
ach
pro
vid
es a
dis
tin
ct f
un
ctio
nan
d d
esir
ed o
utc
om
e in
su
pp
ort
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
an
d c
an o
per
ate
ind
epen
den
tly
of
the
oth
ers.
Th
e fo
ur
maj
or
serv
ice
area
s o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g a
re:
1.
Init
ial
an
d O
n-G
oin
g S
creen
ing
an
d R
ev
iew
ing
of
Gu
ard
ian
s.
2.
Rep
ort
ing
on
th
e W
ell
-Bein
g o
f th
e W
ard
.
3.
Rep
ort
ing
on
th
e P
rote
ctio
n o
f th
e W
ard
’s A
ssets
.
4.C
ase
Ad
min
istr
atio
n.
Co
mp
reh
ensi
ve
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es r
equ
ires
th
at a
ll f
ou
r co
mp
on
ents
be
add
ress
ed t
o s
om
e d
egre
e, d
epen
din
go
n t
he
nu
mb
er o
f ca
ses
wit
hin
th
e ci
rcu
it a
nd
oth
er f
acto
rs. T
he
com
mit
tee
ack
no
wle
dg
es t
he
curr
ent
lack
of
adeq
uat
e fu
nd
ing
fo
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g.
Th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it c
urr
entl
y h
as s
om
e S
tate
fu
nd
ing
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g,
wh
ich
is
com
-b
ined
wit
h g
ran
t an
d c
ou
nty
fu
nd
s.
Co
un
ty f
un
din
g s
up
po
rts
on
e fu
ll-t
ime
pro
fess
ion
al m
on
ito
r in
th
e S
ixth
Cir
cuit
. T
he
Th
ir-
teen
th C
ircu
it h
as a
mix
ture
of
loca
l an
d g
ran
t fu
nd
ing
th
at s
up
po
rts
two
fu
ll-t
ime
mo
nit
ors
an
d a
cad
re o
f st
ud
ents
. O
ver
th
e y
ears
,lo
w-c
ost
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
hav
e b
een
pil
ote
d w
ith
var
yin
g d
egre
es o
f su
cces
s in
th
e E
igh
th,
Tw
elft
h,
and
Fif
teen
thci
rcu
its.
Th
is f
un
din
g s
itu
atio
n m
ay b
e im
pac
ted
by
th
e fu
nd
ing
tra
nsi
tio
n c
om
mo
nly
kn
ow
n a
s “A
rtic
le V
: R
evis
ion
7.”
In
199
8, F
lori
da
vo
ters
ap
pro
ved
an
am
end
men
t to
th
e F
lori
da
Co
nst
itu
tio
n r
elat
ing
to
th
e fu
nd
ing
fo
r th
e ju
dic
ial b
ran
ch o
f g
ov
ern
men
t. P
rese
ntl
y,
wel
l o
ver
hal
f o
f th
e m
on
ey t
hat
per
mit
s th
e tr
ial
cou
rts
to f
un
ctio
n c
om
es n
ot
fro
m t
he
Sta
te b
ut
fro
m t
he
cou
nti
es. E
ffec
tiv
e Ju
ly 1
,20
04,
the
Sta
te m
ust
ass
um
e a
gre
ater
res
po
nsi
bil
ity
fo
r fu
nd
ing
th
e tr
ial
cou
rts.
T
his
ch
ang
e, w
hil
e re
pre
sen
tin
g a
ver
y s
mal
lam
ou
nt
of
the
enti
re S
tate
of
Flo
rid
a b
ud
get
, nev
erth
eles
s p
ose
s a
sig
nif
ican
t fi
scal
ch
alle
ng
e to
th
e L
egis
latu
re.
Un
der
th
e am
end
-m
ent,
th
e S
tate
wil
l be
resp
on
sib
le f
or
fun
din
g m
ost
asp
ects
of
the
Sta
te C
ou
rts
Sy
stem
, off
ices
of
stat
e at
torn
eys
and
pu
bli
c d
efen
d-
ers,
an
d c
ou
rt-a
pp
oin
ted
co
un
sel.
It
is
un
kn
ow
n a
t th
is t
ime
wh
at i
mp
act
the
fun
din
g t
ran
siti
on
may
hav
e o
n t
he
cou
rt’s
du
ty t
oad
equ
atel
y m
on
ito
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
that
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
be
fun
ded
in
ev
ery
cir
cuit
, re
gar
dle
ss o
f w
het
her
su
ch f
un
din
g i
s p
ro-
vid
ed t
hro
ug
h t
he
Sta
te o
r co
un
ties
. D
iffe
ren
t m
od
els
sho
uld
be
dev
elo
ped
an
d im
ple
men
ted
in t
he
var
iou
s ci
rcu
its,
dep
end
ing
on
the
case
load
an
d o
ther
lo
cal
req
uir
emen
ts.
At
a m
inim
um
:
•C
ircu
its
that
hav
e a
con
sist
ent
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
elo
ad i
n e
xce
ss o
f 2,
500
sho
uld
hav
e a
staf
fin
g c
om
ple
men
t th
at i
ncl
ud
es o
r a
llo
ws
acce
ss t
o c
ase
man
ager
s, i
nv
esti
gat
ors
, acc
ou
nta
nts
, an
d s
oci
al w
ork
ers.
In
mo
st c
ases
, th
ese
fun
ctio
ns
all
fall
wit
hin
th
e d
efin
itio
n o
f co
urt
mo
nit
or
(see
sec
tio
n 7
44.1
07, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
23
•C
ircu
its
that
hav
e a
con
sist
ent g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
asel
oad
ran
gin
g f
rom
1,0
00-2
,500
sh
ou
ld h
ave
at le
ast o
ne
full
-tim
e m
on
i-to
r, a
nd
acc
ess
to s
up
ple
men
tal
reso
urc
es o
n d
eman
d.
•C
ircu
its
wit
h a
co
nsi
sten
t g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
asel
oad
of
less
th
an 1
,000
sh
ou
ld h
ave
acce
ss t
o a
pro
fess
ion
al m
on
ito
r an
d
o
ther
res
ou
rces
, on
dem
and
.
It i
s so
un
d p
ub
lic
po
licy
to
saf
egu
ard
th
e m
enta
l an
d p
hy
sica
l h
ealt
h o
f w
ard
s, a
nd
it
mak
es g
oo
d f
isca
l se
nse
to
en
sure
th
atth
eir
fin
anci
al a
sset
s ar
e p
rote
cted
an
d p
rud
entl
y i
nv
este
d.
Th
ese
pre
cau
tio
ns
wil
l en
able
ad
ult
s w
ho
are
in
cap
acit
ated
to
rem
ain
in
dep
end
ent
as l
on
g a
s p
oss
ible
, o
bv
iati
ng
th
e n
eed
fo
r p
rem
atu
re i
nst
itu
tio
nal
izat
ion
or
pu
bli
c as
sist
ance
. T
he
ben
efit
s re
aliz
ed f
rom
fu
nd
ing
ad
equ
ate
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
can
po
ten
tial
ly p
ay t
ang
ible
an
d i
nta
n-
gib
le d
ivid
end
s th
at o
utw
eig
h t
he
cost
of
the
pro
gra
ms,
bo
th i
n t
erm
s o
f th
e co
nse
rvat
ion
of
scar
ce r
eso
urc
es a
s w
ell
asfu
lfil
lin
g s
oci
ety
’s o
bli
gat
ion
to
pro
tect
th
e w
ell
bei
ng
of
its
mo
st v
uln
erab
le m
emb
ers.
F
urt
her
mo
re,
pu
rsu
ant
to s
ecti
on
744.
107,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes,
th
e ex
pen
dit
ure
s in
man
y c
ases
nee
d n
ot
be
sole
ly f
un
ded
by
pu
bli
c re
ven
ues
.
24
1.
IN
ITIA
L A
ND
ON
-GO
ING
SC
RE
EN
ING
AN
D R
EV
IEW
ING
OF
GU
AR
DIA
NS
Th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s a
nd
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
pro
vid
e r
eq
uir
em
en
ts f
or
the
ap
po
intm
en
t a
nd
re
mo
va
l o
f g
ua
rdia
ns.
•C
hap
ter
744,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes,
pre
scri
bes
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
(a)
wh
o m
ay b
e ap
po
inte
d g
uar
dia
n o
f a
resi
den
t w
ard
, (
b)
con
sid
erat
ion
s in
ap
po
intm
ent
of
a g
uar
dia
n, (
c) a
pp
lica
tio
n f
or
app
oin
tmen
t, (
d)
cred
it a
nd
cri
min
al in
ves
tig
atio
ns,
and
(e)
gu
ard
ian
ed
uca
tio
n r
equ
irem
ents
.•
R
ule
5.5
90, P
rob
ate
Ru
les,
pre
scri
bes
th
e p
roce
du
res
for
app
lica
tio
n f
or
app
oin
tmen
t as
a g
uar
dia
n, d
iscl
osu
re s
tatm
ent,
an
d f
ilin
g.
Th
ese
ap
ply
to
(a)
in
div
idu
al a
pp
lica
nts
, (b
) n
on
-pro
fit
corp
ora
te g
uar
dia
ns,
(c)
fo
r p
rofi
tco
rpo
rati
on
s an
d a
sso
ciat
ion
s, a
nd
(d
) p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
s.•
Ru
le 5
.650
, Pro
bat
e R
ule
s, p
resc
rib
es t
he
pro
ced
ure
s fo
r re
sig
nat
ion
or
dis
qu
alif
icat
ion
of
gu
ard
ian
s, a
nd
ap
po
intm
ent
succ
esso
r.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
pro
vid
es s
up
po
rt t
o t
he
pre
sid
ing
jud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
o e
nsu
re t
hat
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
cou
rt r
ule
s an
d s
tatu
tes
are
foll
ow
ed.
To
ad
equ
atel
y s
cree
n a
nd
rev
iew
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns
as r
equ
ired
by
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
co
nd
uct
tim
ely
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
and
iss
ue
a w
ritt
en r
epo
rt t
o t
he
jud
ge
ind
icat
ing
:
•W
het
her
th
e ap
pli
cati
on
has
bee
n f
iled
an
d c
on
tain
s co
rrec
t in
form
atio
n.
•W
het
her
th
e g
uar
dia
n m
eets
th
e re
qu
isit
e st
atu
tory
qu
alif
icat
ion
s.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
has
sat
isfa
cto
rily
co
mp
lete
d t
he
edu
cati
on
al r
equ
irem
ents
.•
Th
e g
uar
dia
n’s
cre
dit
his
tory
.•
Wh
eth
er t
her
e ar
e an
y c
on
firm
ed r
epo
rts
of
abu
se o
r n
egle
ct b
y t
he
gu
ard
ian
.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
has
a h
isto
ry o
f cr
imin
al c
on
du
ct.
•T
he
nu
mb
er o
f w
ard
s to
wh
om
th
e g
uar
dia
n h
as a
lrea
dy
bee
n a
ssig
ned
.•
Te
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f o
ther
war
ds
un
der
th
e g
uar
dia
n’s
car
e.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
is
a p
arty
to
an
y p
end
ing
lit
igat
ion
.•
Co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
gis
try
req
uir
emen
ts i
n s
ecti
on
744
.108
3, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e ex
ten
t to
wh
ich
th
e co
urt
is
able
to
pro
vid
e th
e d
esir
ed s
cree
nin
g s
erv
ices
is
dep
end
ent
on
th
e re
sou
rces
an
d f
un
din
gav
aila
ble
. T
his
ap
pli
es t
o b
oth
th
e sc
op
e o
f th
e in
itia
l scr
een
ing
an
d r
evie
w, a
s w
ell a
s to
th
e fr
equ
ency
of
sub
seq
uen
t re
vie
ws.
Th
e in
itia
l re
vie
w i
s cr
itic
al t
o t
he
cou
rt’s
det
erm
inat
ion
th
at t
he
app
lica
nt
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
in f
act
qu
alif
ied
an
d s
uit
able
fo
rth
e p
osi
tio
n.
In
dee
d,
his
tori
call
y a
nd
un
fort
un
atel
y,
thro
ug
h m
uch
of
the
stat
e th
ere
has
bee
n n
o v
erif
icat
ion
th
at a
pp
lica
nts
seek
ing
ap
po
intm
ent
as g
uar
dia
n e
ven
mee
t th
e st
atu
tory
req
uir
emen
ts.
To
mai
nta
in t
he
qu
alit
y a
nd
in
teg
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s, i
tis
imp
ort
ant
to a
lso
hav
e an
on
go
ing
rev
iew
sy
stem
in p
lace
. S
cree
nin
g a
nd
rev
iew
ing
are
ess
enti
al w
hen
a c
om
pla
int
is lo
dg
edb
y t
he
fam
ily
or
oth
er i
nte
rest
ed p
arty
.
25
Ho
wev
er,
no
t al
l in
cid
ence
s o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct a
re r
epo
rted
, an
d i
t is
im
po
rtan
t th
at t
her
e b
e an
in
dep
end
ent
rev
iew
per
form
ed o
n a
per
iod
ic b
asis
, pre
fera
bly
at
leas
t an
nu
ally
.
To
be
able
to
eff
ecti
vel
y s
cree
n a
nd
rev
iew
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns
and
th
ereb
y c
om
ply
wit
h t
he
stat
uto
ry r
equ
irem
ents
, th
efo
llo
win
g r
eso
urc
es m
ust
be
avai
lab
le t
o t
he
cou
rt:
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•C
red
it r
epo
rtin
g s
erv
ices
.•
Cri
min
al h
isto
ry c
hec
ks
(sta
te a
nd
fed
eral
).•
Ab
use
reg
istr
y c
hec
ks.
•C
ou
rt d
ock
et c
hec
ks.
•H
ard
war
e an
d s
oft
war
e to
mai
nta
in a
dat
abas
e o
n s
tatu
s o
f g
uar
dia
ns.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
•S
taff
tra
inin
g o
n i
nte
rpre
tati
on
of
cred
it, a
bu
se, a
nd
cri
min
al h
isto
ry r
epo
rts.
•E
mp
loy
men
t v
erif
icat
ion
ch
eck
s.
Sta
ff w
ith
th
e fo
llo
win
g t
rain
ing
, exp
erie
nce
, an
d s
kil
ls
•In
ves
tig
ato
rs.
•A
dm
inis
trat
ive
sup
po
rt.
•P
eop
le w
ho
can
rev
iew
an
d i
nte
rpre
t cr
edit
his
tori
es, c
rim
inal
his
tory
ch
eck
s, a
nd
ab
use
reg
istr
ych
eck
s, a
nd
wh
o a
re f
amil
iar
wit
h c
ou
rt p
roce
du
res.
•S
om
eon
e to
fin
ger
pri
nt
gu
ard
ian
s.•
Info
rmat
ion
sy
stem
s su
pp
ort
an
d d
atab
ase
adm
inis
trat
ion
.
26
2.
RE
PO
RT
ING
ON
TH
E W
EL
L-B
EIN
G O
F T
HE
WA
RD
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
nd
th
e P
rob
ate
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
def
ine
the
auth
ori
ty o
f a
gu
ard
ian
an
d t
he
serv
ice
and
rep
ort
ing
req
uir
emen
ts.
Th
ese
app
ly t
o t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
as
wel
l as
to
th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f th
e w
ard
’s a
sset
s.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
ass
ists
wit
h t
he
coo
rdin
atio
n a
nd
ov
ersi
gh
t fu
nct
ion
s o
f th
e p
resi
din
g j
ud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
oen
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y r
epo
rt o
n t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
, a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
sh
ou
ld t
ake
the
foll
ow
ing
ste
ps.
To
en
sure
th
at t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
is
adeq
uat
ely
ad
dre
ssed
, it
is
esse
nti
al t
he
cou
rt h
ave
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
cap
acit
y t
oev
alu
ate
any
co
mp
lain
ts o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct.
Ho
wev
er t
o p
rev
ent
inst
ance
s o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct a
nd
to
en
sure
th
at t
he
war
d i
sb
ein
g p
rop
erly
car
ed f
or,
it is
als
o n
eces
sary
fo
r th
e co
urt
to
co
nd
uct
a p
erio
dic
, pre
fera
bly
an
an
nu
al, r
evie
w o
f th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ipp
lan
as
req
uir
ed b
y F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, m
ake
site
vis
its
to t
he
resi
den
ce o
f th
e w
ard
, an
d i
nte
rvie
w t
he
care
giv
ers
of
the
war
d.
Bec
ause
of
incr
easi
ng
ly l
imit
ed r
eso
urc
es a
nd
in
crea
sin
g c
asel
oad
s, t
he
cou
rts
wil
l b
e fa
ced
wit
h p
rio
riti
zin
g t
he
typ
es o
f as
sess
-m
ents
th
ey w
ill
be
able
to
co
nd
uct
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
ask
s ar
e ar
ran
ged
in
rec
om
men
ded
ord
er o
f im
po
rtan
ce, b
egin
-n
ing
wit
h t
he
min
imu
m a
ccep
tab
le l
evel
to
id
eal.
Rea
list
ical
ly, s
carc
e re
sou
rces
mak
e it
lik
ely
th
at d
esk
wo
rk w
ill
be
per
form
edm
ore
fre
qu
entl
y t
han
vis
its;
ho
wev
er, f
ield
in
ves
tig
atio
n i
s p
refe
rab
le s
ince
th
at i
s an
eff
ecti
ve
mec
han
ism
fo
r d
isco
ver
ing
pro
b-
lem
s. A
dd
itio
nal
ly, i
n d
eter
min
ing
wh
en i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s/re
vie
ws
sho
uld
be
con
du
cted
, th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld a
ct f
irst
wh
en t
her
e is
aco
nce
rn, a
nd
sec
on
dly
on
a r
and
om
bas
is.
A.
Vis
its
and
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e m
ade
and
su
spec
ted
ab
use
or
neg
lect
sh
ou
ld b
e re
po
rted
to
th
e co
urt
,p
rose
cuto
rs,
law
en
forc
em
en
t, t
he
De
pa
rtm
en
t o
f C
hil
dre
n a
nd
Fa
mil
ies,
an
d o
the
rs a
s a
pp
rop
ria
te.
B.
Vis
its
and
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed a
nd
a c
on
cise
rep
ort
in
a s
tan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
at, w
hic
h w
ou
ldb
eco
me
par
t o
f th
e co
nfi
den
tial
po
rtio
n o
f th
e o
ffic
ial
cou
rt r
eco
rd, p
rov
ided
to
th
e co
urt
on
th
e st
atu
s o
f th
e w
ard
ind
icat
ing
wh
eth
er
•T
her
e ar
e si
gn
s o
f ab
use
or
neg
lect
.•
Th
e w
ard
’s f
oo
d a
nd
sh
elte
r ar
e ad
equ
ate.
•T
he
med
ical
, psy
chia
tric
, an
d p
hy
sica
l tr
eatm
ent
of
the
war
d a
re a
pp
rop
riat
e.•
A f
ind
ing
of
wh
eth
er t
he
care
bei
ng
pro
vid
ed t
o t
he
war
d i
s co
nsi
sten
t w
ith
th
e p
lan
.•
An
y B
aker
Act
pro
ceed
ing
s h
ave
bee
n i
nit
iate
d.
•T
he
war
d i
s re
ceiv
ing
an
y r
ehab
ilit
atio
n s
erv
ices
an
d/
or
ther
apie
s.•
Th
e p
refe
ren
ces
of
the
war
d h
ave
bee
n c
on
sid
ered
.•
Th
e p
lace
men
t o
f th
e w
ard
is
pro
po
rtio
nat
e to
th
e w
ard
’s f
inan
cial
sta
tus.
•T
he
gu
ard
ian
’s p
erfo
rman
ce i
s ad
equ
ate.
2
7
C.
An
ass
essm
ent
of
the
leas
t re
stri
ctiv
e en
vir
on
men
t sh
ou
ld b
e m
ade
and
rep
ort
ed t
o t
he
cou
rt, i
ncl
ud
ing
in
for-
m
atio
n o
n:
•W
het
her
th
e p
lace
men
t is
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
op
tio
n.
•T
he
abil
ity
of
the
war
d t
o r
egai
n c
apac
ity
an
d h
ave
par
tial
or
tota
l re
sto
rati
on
of
his
or
her
rig
hts
.•
Th
e ap
pro
pri
aten
ess
of
alte
rnat
ives
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
.
D.
Inv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed a
nd
a w
ritt
en r
epo
rt p
rov
ided
to
th
e co
urt
on
th
e co
mp
lete
nes
s, a
ccu
racy
,an
d v
alid
ity
of
the
ann
ual
pla
n t
hat
in
clu
des
:
•A
co
mp
aris
on
of
the
pla
n a
gai
nst
ch
eck
list
(s)
for
app
rop
riat
enes
s an
d c
om
ple
ten
ess.
•A
n a
sses
smen
t o
f th
e tr
uth
fuln
ess
of
the
info
rmat
ion
in
th
e p
lan
.•
A c
on
firm
atio
n t
hat
th
e w
ard
act
ual
ly r
esid
es w
her
e th
e p
lan
in
dic
ates
.•
A d
eter
min
atio
n t
hat
lis
ted
ph
ysi
cian
s ar
e re
ally
lic
ense
d h
ealt
h c
are
pro
vid
ers.
To
be
able
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
is b
ein
g a
deq
uat
ely
ad
dre
ssed
an
d p
rote
cted
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
eso
f re
sou
rces
mu
st b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Par
tner
ship
s/al
lian
ces
wit
h
•Educational facilities, such as community colleges or schools of social work, nursing, and gerontology.
13
•C
om
mu
nit
y r
eso
urc
es a
nd
ser
vic
e p
rov
ider
s.
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•T
ran
spo
rtat
ion
.
•R
egis
trie
s an
d d
irec
tori
es o
f av
aila
ble
ser
vic
es.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
•F
ore
ign
lan
gu
age
and
sig
n l
ang
uag
e in
terp
rete
rs.
Po
lici
es
an
d p
roce
du
res
for
staff
, st
ud
en
t in
tern
s, a
nd
vo
lun
teers
•M
anu
als.
•C
hec
kli
sts.
•P
roto
cols
.
13F
lori
da
is f
ort
unat
e in
bei
ng h
om
e to
a n
um
ber
of
exce
llen
t publi
c an
d p
rivat
e co
lleg
es a
nd u
niv
ersi
ties
. P
artn
ersh
ips
wit
h t
he
court
and t
hes
e
educa
tional
inst
ituti
ons
can b
e a
cost
-eff
ecti
ve
use
of
pre
sentl
y-a
vai
lable
res
ourc
es t
o i
mpro
ve
serv
ices
wit
h m
inim
al f
isca
l im
pac
t.
28
Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•M
on
ito
rs.
•V
isit
ors
.•
An
ad
min
istr
ato
r.•
Ad
min
istr
ativ
e su
pp
ort
.•
Tra
iner
.•
So
meo
ne
to c
oo
rdin
ate
and
su
per
vis
e m
on
ito
rs, s
tud
ent
inte
rns,
an
d v
olu
nte
ers.
•S
tud
ent
inte
rns
and
vo
lun
teer
s.•
Sta
ff w
ith
kn
ow
led
ge
of
com
mu
nit
y r
eso
urc
es, i
ncl
ud
ing
pri
vat
e an
d n
ot-
for-
pro
fit
gro
up
s as
wel
l as
go
ver
nm
enta
l ag
enci
es.
•P
erso
ns
wit
h s
oci
al w
ork
bac
kg
rou
nd
s.
Tra
inin
g o
n v
olu
nte
er m
anag
emen
t; a
ccep
tab
le q
uau
lity
of
care
; re
cog
niz
ing
ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct;
reso
urc
es a
nd
fac
iali
ties
avai
lab
le i
n t
he
com
mu
nit
y;
the
cou
rts
sett
ing
, en
vir
on
men
t, a
nd
pro
ced
ure
s; a
nd
co
mm
un
icat
ing
wit
h e
lder
s an
d p
erso
ns
wit
h c
og
nit
ive
imp
airm
ents
.
29
3.
RE
PO
RT
ING
ON
TH
E P
RO
TE
CT
ION
OF
TH
E W
AR
D’S
AS
SE
TS
Th
e ex
ten
t o
f th
e fi
nan
cial
ser
vic
e o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g v
arie
s d
epen
din
g o
n t
he
nee
ds
and
cir
cum
stan
ces
of
the
ind
i-v
idu
al w
ard
. T
hes
e v
aria
ble
s af
fect
no
t o
nly
th
e le
vel
of
fin
anci
al r
evie
w a
nd
au
dit
, b
ut
also
th
e fr
equ
ency
. T
his
mo
nit
ori
ng
fun
ctio
n r
ang
es f
rom
a b
rief
rev
iew
of
the
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts,
to
an
au
dit
up
on
rec
eip
t o
f a
com
pla
int,
to
ran
do
m d
etai
led
fin
an-
cial
rev
iew
s an
d a
ud
its,
to
rev
iew
s o
f h
ow
ass
ets
are
inv
este
d a
nd
man
aged
, to
ro
uti
ne
sch
edu
led
fin
anci
al r
evie
ws
and
au
dit
s.T
his
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
all
ow
s th
e co
urt
to
det
ect
and
in
ves
tig
ate
var
ian
ces
in t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Wel
l-d
efin
ed f
inan
cial
au
dit
s, p
urs
uan
t to
nat
ion
ally
-rec
og
niz
ed a
ud
itin
g s
tan
dar
ds,
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n e
ver
y g
uar
dia
n-
ship
cas
e, w
ith
dif
fere
nt
lev
els
of
aud
it r
evie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Fin
anci
al a
ud
itin
g b
egin
s w
ith
a r
ou
tin
e au
dit
on
ev
ery
fil
ing
.T
his
sh
ou
ld b
e su
pp
lem
ente
d b
y a
gra
du
atin
g r
ang
e o
f st
epp
ed-u
p a
ud
its,
wh
en a
pro
ble
m i
s in
dic
ated
. F
urt
her
mo
re,
tosu
ffic
ien
tly
pro
tect
war
ds
and
th
eir
asse
ts,
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
be
aud
ited
bas
ed o
n a
sta
tist
ical
ran
do
m s
amp
lin
g.
Def
init
ion
s o
f fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s sh
ou
ld b
e d
evel
op
ed a
nd
au
dit
ing
sta
nd
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e ad
op
ted
. T
rain
ing
, ex
per
ien
ce,
and
bac
kg
rou
nd
of
aud
ito
rs i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
sh
ou
ld a
lso
be
def
ined
, as
ther
e ar
e cu
rren
tly
no
req
uir
emen
ts i
n t
his
reg
ard
.
It i
s in
stru
ctiv
e to
lo
ok
at
the
thre
e-le
vel
au
dit
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Sev
ente
enth
Cir
cuit
th
at a
pp
lies
sp
ecia
lize
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
c-co
un
tin
g s
oft
war
e an
d s
tan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
s. T
his
fin
anci
al a
ud
itin
g p
rog
ram
, wh
ich
co
uld
be
con
sid
ered
a m
od
el, u
tili
zes
the
foll
ow
ing
lev
els
of
rev
iew
:
•L
evel
On
e: a
ud
it a
ll a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
s w
ith
a f
ive-
step
au
dit
pro
cess
.•
Lev
el T
wo
: per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
all
rep
ort
s th
at a
re f
ou
nd
to
be
in c
om
pli
ance
at
Lev
el O
ne,
uti
lizi
ng
a L
evel
Tw
o c
hec
kli
st.
•L
evel
Th
ree:
per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
com
pla
int
rep
ort
s fr
om
Lev
el T
wo
. D
etai
led
in
-ho
use
an
dfi
eld
au
dit
s o
f su
pp
ort
ing
do
cum
enta
tio
n w
ill
be
per
form
ed o
n t
he
sele
cted
sam
ple
.
Init
ial r
ou
tin
e fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s ar
e st
atu
tori
ly r
equ
ired
to
be
con
du
cted
by
sta
ff in
th
e o
ffic
e o
f th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt.
Mo
re in
-dep
thfi
nan
cial
au
dit
s, in
th
ose
cir
cuit
s w
her
e th
ey a
re r
egu
larl
y c
on
du
cted
, are
per
form
ed in
so
me
inst
ance
s b
y t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice
and
in o
ther
s b
y c
ou
rt s
taff
.
14Ju
dic
ial
Duti
es i
n G
ener
al.
The
judic
ial
duti
es o
f a
judge
take
pre
ceden
ce o
ver
all
the
judge’
s oth
er a
ctiv
itie
s.
The
judge’
s ju
dic
ial
duti
es i
ncl
ude
all
the
duti
es o
f th
e ju
dge’
s off
ice
pre
scri
bed
by l
aw. I
n t
he
per
form
ance
of
thes
e duti
es, th
e sp
ecif
ic s
tandar
ds
set
fort
h i
n t
he
foll
ow
ing s
ecti
ons
apply
.
Ca
no
n 3
.A.,
Co
de o
f Ju
dic
ial
Co
nd
uct.
30
So
me
com
mit
tee
mem
ber
s an
d i
nd
ivid
ual
s w
ho
sp
ok
e at
th
e p
ub
lic
hea
rin
gs
wer
e o
f th
e o
pin
ion
th
at p
lace
men
t o
f th
e fi
nan
cial
aud
it f
un
ctio
n i
n t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice
ren
der
ed t
he
fun
ctio
n l
ess
effe
ctiv
e an
d t
hat
th
e re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansf
erre
d f
rom
th
ecl
erk
s to
th
e co
urt
s, w
hic
h w
ou
ld r
equ
ire
a st
atu
tory
ch
ang
e. T
hey
als
o n
ote
d t
hat
cle
rks
are
no
t g
iven
th
is le
vel
of
resp
on
sib
ilit
yfo
r an
y o
ther
cat
ego
ry o
f ca
ses.
Th
e co
urt
has
th
e u
ltim
ate
resp
on
sib
ilit
y f
or
mo
nit
ori
ng
th
e w
ard
’s w
ell b
ein
g; a
cco
rdin
gly
, th
eyb
elie
ve
Can
on
3A
of
the
Co
de
of
Jud
icia
l C
on
du
ct1
4 r
equ
ires
th
e re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
fo
r co
nd
uct
ing
fin
anci
al a
ud
its
to r
est
wit
h t
he
cou
rt.
A p
resu
med
ben
efit
of
tran
sfer
rin
g t
he
fin
anci
al a
ud
it f
un
ctio
n f
rom
th
e cl
erk
to
th
e co
urt
wo
uld
be
dec
reas
ing
th
e d
isp
ari-
ties
am
on
g c
ou
nti
es, i
ncr
easi
ng
eff
icie
nci
es, a
nd
pro
mo
tin
g a
sta
ble
pro
tect
ive
env
iro
nm
ent
for
the
war
d.
Ho
wev
er, o
ther
co
mm
itte
e m
emb
ers
and
sp
eak
ers
at t
he
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s w
ere
of
the
op
inio
n t
hat
if t
he
app
rop
riat
e au
dit
gu
ide-
lin
es a
re e
stab
lish
ed a
nd
fo
llo
wed
, th
e au
dit
s co
uld
be
adeq
uat
ely
co
nd
uct
ed b
y e
ith
er t
he
cou
rts
or
the
cler
ks.
In
so
me
cou
nti
es,
the
cler
k o
f co
urt
has
ass
um
ed t
he
resp
on
sib
ilit
y –
an
d i
nd
eed
tak
en t
he
init
iati
ve
– fo
r co
nd
uct
ing
hig
h q
ual
ity
an
d e
ffec
tiv
efi
nan
cial
au
dit
s. T
he
com
mit
tee
hea
rd a
bo
ut
aud
itin
g p
erfo
rmed
by
th
e cl
erk
s in
Ch
arlo
tte
and
Pas
co C
ou
nti
es, w
her
e th
e cl
erk
s’o
ffic
es s
eem
to
be
do
ing
an
ad
mir
able
job
of
aud
itin
g t
he
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts.
Acc
ord
ing
ly,
the
Co
mm
itte
e d
eter
min
ed t
he
aud
itin
g f
un
ctio
n c
ou
ld b
e ef
fect
ivel
y p
erfo
rmed
by
eit
her
th
e cl
erk
or
cou
rt,
ifp
erm
itte
d b
y s
tatu
te,
as l
on
g a
s d
efin
itio
ns
and
sta
nd
ard
s ar
e ad
op
ted
an
d a
ud
ito
r q
ual
ific
atio
ns
are
ado
pte
d.
If
th
e fu
nct
ion
rem
ain
s in
th
e cl
erk
’s o
ffic
e, t
he
com
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
at i
t b
e o
rgan
ized
as
an i
nd
epen
den
t au
dit
un
it w
hic
h i
s re
qu
ired
to
req
ues
t a
hea
rin
g w
hen
a p
rob
lem
is id
enti
fied
. F
urt
her
, all
co
mm
un
icat
ion
bet
wee
n t
he
jud
ge
and
th
e cl
erk
’s o
ffic
e sh
ou
ld b
e in
wri
tin
g a
nd
bec
om
e p
art
of
the
off
icia
l co
urt
rec
ord
.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
ass
ists
wit
h t
he
coo
rdin
atio
n a
nd
ov
ersi
gh
t fu
nct
ion
s o
f th
e p
resi
din
g j
ud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
oen
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y r
epo
rt o
n t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
tak
e th
e fo
llo
win
g s
tep
s.
Au
dit
s an
d f
ield
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
are
con
du
cted
an
d a
wri
tten
rep
ort
is
pro
vid
ed t
o t
he
cou
rt o
n w
het
her
•T
he
init
ial
inv
ento
ry i
s co
mp
lete
an
d a
ccu
rate
.•
Th
e an
nu
al f
inan
cial
acc
ou
nti
ng
is
com
ple
te a
nd
acc
ura
te, i
ncl
ud
ing
- V
erif
icat
ion
fro
m t
he
dep
osi
tory
th
at r
epo
rted
bal
ance
s w
ere
accu
rate
.
- I
den
tifi
cati
on
of
any
qu
esti
on
able
ex
pes
es, s
uch
as
un
usu
al a
tto
rney
’s f
ees,
un
usu
al g
uar
dia
n’s
fee
s, c
hec
ks
p
ayab
le t
o “
cash
.”
•E
xp
end
itu
res
are
con
sist
ent
wit
h c
ou
rt o
rder
s.
•T
he
war
d’s
pro
per
ty i
s b
ein
g p
rop
erly
car
ed f
or
and
ap
pro
pri
ate
insu
ran
ce h
as b
een
sec
ure
d a
nd
is
up
to
dat
e.•
Inv
estm
ents
mad
e o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e w
ard
are
ap
pro
pri
ate,
in
clu
din
g:
31
-E
xce
ssiv
e tu
rno
ver
in
in
ves
tmen
ts.
-S
ale
of
pro
per
ty.
-
Sp
ecu
lati
ve
inv
estm
ents
.
•A
pp
lica
tio
n f
or
ever
y b
enef
it t
o w
hic
h a
war
d i
s en
titl
ed.
•B
on
din
g, s
ecu
rity
, an
d b
on
d p
rem
ium
pay
men
ts a
re s
atis
fact
ory
an
d c
urr
ent.
•C
on
firm
atio
n t
hat
th
e w
ard
is
rece
ivin
g t
he
app
rop
riat
e in
com
e an
d t
her
e is
no
div
ersi
on
of
the
inco
me.
•T
he
war
d’s
pro
per
ty a
nd
in
com
e ta
xes
hav
e b
een
pai
d.
•T
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
hav
e b
een
mar
shal
ed.
•T
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
hav
e b
een
rev
iew
ed a
nd
bal
ance
d i
n k
eep
ing
wit
h F
DIC
an
d S
EC
lim
its.
•C
urr
ent
add
ress
in
form
atio
n i
s p
rov
ided
to
th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt.
To
be
able
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
are
bei
ng
ad
equ
atel
y p
rote
cted
, wh
eth
er a
pp
lica
tio
n h
as b
een
mad
e fo
r al
lth
e b
enef
its
to w
hic
h t
he
war
d i
s en
titl
ed,
and
th
e w
ard
’s a
sset
s ar
e b
ein
g u
sed
to
th
e w
ard
’s b
enef
its,
th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
es o
fre
sou
rces
sh
ou
ld b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Po
lici
es
an
d p
roce
du
res
for
staff
•U
nif
orm
def
init
ion
s o
f v
ario
us
typ
es/
lev
els
of
aud
its.
•G
uid
elin
es a
bo
ut
app
rop
riat
e ex
pen
dit
ure
s.•
Gu
idel
ines
ab
ou
t an
nu
al b
ud
get
ing
.
Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•P
erso
ns
wit
h b
oo
kk
eep
ing
sk
ills
.•
Per
son
s w
ith
fo
ren
sic
acco
un
tin
g s
kil
ls.
•C
erti
fied
pu
bli
c ac
cou
nta
nts
.•
Ind
ivid
ual
s w
ith
in
ves
tmen
t p
lan
nin
g e
xp
erie
nce
.•
Per
son
s w
ith
kn
ow
led
ge
abo
ut
pu
bli
c an
d p
riv
ate
ben
efit
pro
gra
ms
or
enti
tlem
ents
to
wh
ich
war
ds
may
be
enti
tled
.A
ccess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r•
po
ol
of
fin
anci
al m
anag
emen
t m
on
ito
rs (
for
larg
e as
set
case
s)•
adv
ice
fro
m a
fin
anci
al m
anag
er•
har
dw
are
and
so
ftw
are
for
a fi
nan
cial
au
dit
dat
abas
e•
off
ice
sup
pli
es, t
elep
ho
ne
serv
ice,
fac
sim
ile
serv
ice,
etc
.
Tra
inin
g o
n a
pp
rop
riate
in
vest
men
t p
att
ern
s fo
r d
iffe
ren
t ty
pes
of
ward
s
Bro
ker
s’ f
ees
- -C
on
sist
ent/
app
rop
riat
e w
ith
th
e ag
e o
f th
e w
ard
.
32
4.
CA
SE
AD
MIN
IST
RA
TIO
N
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
nd
th
e P
rob
ate
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
pro
vid
e a
nu
mb
er o
f ca
se r
epo
rtin
g a
nd
rec
ord
ing
req
uir
emen
ts a
sp
art
of
the
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
fun
ctio
n f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Sin
ce g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
may
sta
y a
ctiv
e fo
r an
ex
ten
ded
per
iod
of
tim
e, t
he
case
-flo
w m
anag
emen
t an
d c
oo
rdin
atin
g f
un
ctio
ns
req
uir
e o
ng
oin
g a
tten
tio
n.
Wh
ile
case
man
agem
ent
is a
n in
dep
end
ent
com
po
nen
t o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g,
each
of
the
oth
er t
hre
e co
mp
on
ents
als
o r
equ
ires
cas
e m
anag
emen
t an
d a
dm
inis
trat
ive
sup
po
rt.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
req
uir
es s
taff
an
d i
nfo
rmat
ion
sy
stem
su
pp
ort
to
rev
iew
, p
roce
ss,
and
mo
nit
or
the
var
iety
of
rep
ort
s re
qu
ired
by
ru
le a
nd
sta
tute
.
Jud
ges
, co
urt
man
ager
s, a
nd
pro
gra
m p
erso
nn
el c
an i
mp
rov
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
per
form
ance
by
ap
ply
ing
so
un
dm
anag
emen
t p
rin
cip
les
and
pra
ctic
es.
To
do
so
, th
ey m
ust
hav
e ti
mel
y a
cces
s to
rel
iab
le i
nfo
rmat
ion
ab
ou
t th
e o
per
atio
ns
of
the
pro
gra
m.
Su
ch i
nfo
rmat
ion
co
uld
be
ob
tain
ed f
rom
th
e re
cord
s m
anag
emen
t sy
stem
or
fro
m s
urv
eys
or
cust
om
er s
atis
fact
ion
rep
ort
s ad
dre
ssin
g t
he
qu
alit
ativ
e as
pec
ts o
f th
e se
rvic
es a
nd
act
ivit
ies.
Th
is i
nfo
rmat
ion
can
be
use
d t
o m
on
ito
r an
d m
easu
re t
he
pro
gra
m e
ffec
tiv
enes
s an
d a
ssis
t in
def
inin
g t
he
exte
nt
to w
hic
h t
he
pro
gra
m is
ach
iev
ing
its
pu
rpo
se.
Th
e in
form
atio
n c
an a
lso
be
use
d t
o d
eter
min
e if
th
e p
rog
ram
is
op
erat
ing
eff
icie
ntl
y a
nd
to
pro
vid
e w
ork
load
dat
a to
id
enti
fy r
eso
urc
e n
eed
s.
Rel
iab
lep
erfo
rman
ce i
nfo
rmat
ion
can
als
o b
e u
sed
to
pro
vid
e ex
tern
al a
cco
un
tab
ilit
y,
by
des
crib
ing
in
a m
ean
ing
ful
fash
ion
th
e w
ork
of
cou
rt p
rog
ram
s an
d t
he
serv
ices
th
ey p
rov
ide.
Eac
h o
f th
e co
mp
on
ents
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
req
uir
es d
ata
rela
tiv
e to
th
e sp
ecif
ic s
erv
ices
pro
vid
ed.
All
th
e co
mp
on
ents
inte
rrel
ate
as w
ell
to t
he
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
e fl
ow
of
the
cou
rt.
A r
elat
ion
al a
uto
mat
ed c
ase
man
agem
ent
syst
em p
rov
ides
th
efr
amew
ork
to
rec
ord
in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es, t
he
war
ds,
an
d t
he
gu
ard
ian
s. T
his
in
form
atio
n d
atab
ase
can
be
use
dto
mee
t th
e o
per
atio
nal
an
d m
anag
emen
t n
eed
s o
f th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
as
wel
l as
pro
vid
ing
th
e n
eces
sary
man
-ag
emen
t, p
lan
nin
g a
nd
bu
dg
etin
g i
nfo
rmat
ion
. A
nu
mb
er o
f te
chn
olo
gic
al i
nn
ov
atio
ns
are
un
der
dev
elo
pm
ent
in t
he
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip d
om
ain
, as
des
crib
ed b
elo
w a
nd
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
is r
epo
rt, a
nd
sh
ou
ld b
e en
cou
rag
ed a
s a
mec
han
ism
fo
r im
pro
vin
g t
he
qu
alit
yo
f in
form
atio
n t
hat
is
avai
lab
le t
o c
ou
rt m
anag
ers
and
dec
isio
n m
aker
s.
Th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee
of
the
Rea
l Pro
per
ty, P
rob
ate,
an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar s
tud
ied
th
e co
nce
pt
of
elec
tro
nic
co
urt
fil
ing
in
th
e p
rob
ate
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pra
ctic
e ar
ea.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
issu
ed a
Wh
ite
Pap
er i
n t
he
fall
of
2002
ou
tlin
ing
a p
rop
osa
l th
at c
on
tem
pla
tes
a li
mit
ed e
lect
ron
ic f
ilin
g s
yst
em t
hat
co
uld
lat
er b
e p
rog
ress
ivel
y e
xp
and
ed t
o i
ncl
ud
e al
ld
ivis
ion
s o
f th
e tr
ial c
ou
rt s
yst
em.
Pro
per
ly im
ple
men
ted
, ele
ctro
nic
fil
ing
wo
uld
all
ow
eas
ier
acce
ss t
o f
iled
do
cum
ents
, sim
pli
fyth
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt’s
han
dli
ng
pro
ced
ure
s, r
edu
ce d
ata
cap
ture
an
d s
tora
ge
cost
s, i
mp
rov
e d
isas
ter
reco
ver
y f
acil
itie
s, a
nd
red
uce
cost
s an
d t
ime
for
atto
rney
s an
d o
ther
use
rs o
f th
e co
urt
sy
stem
. T
he
pro
po
sed
sy
stem
wo
uld
be
dev
elo
ped
th
rou
gh
a “
fili
ng
inte
rmed
iary
” w
ith
a l
egal
XM
L-c
apab
le s
erv
er.
Bec
ause
th
e sy
stem
wo
uld
be
bas
ed o
n o
pen
sta
nd
ard
s, a
ny
ven
do
r co
uld
ser
ve
as a
fil
ing
in
term
edia
ry.
Th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee
sug
ges
ts t
hat
pro
bat
e an
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
re u
niq
uel
y p
osi
tio
ned
to p
rov
ide
a p
roo
f o
f co
nce
pt
on
a m
anag
eab
le s
cale
, si
nce
th
ese
fili
ng
s g
ener
ally
co
nst
itu
te 5
to
10%
of
circ
uit
co
urt
cas
e fi
lin
gs.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, th
e S
ecti
on
est
imat
es t
hat
up
to
95%
of
fili
ng
s in
th
e p
rob
ate
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
div
isio
n a
re c
om
pri
sed
of
app
rox
i-m
atel
y 4
00 f
orm
s, a
nd
fo
rms-
bas
ed d
ocu
men
ts a
re s
ign
ific
antl
y e
asie
r to
dea
l w
ith
in
an
XM
L e
nv
iro
nm
ent.
33
An
y p
rob
lem
s en
cou
nte
red
wit
h s
yst
em im
ple
men
tati
on
co
uld
be
add
ress
ed b
efo
re e
xp
ansi
on
. T
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e b
elie
ves
th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee’
s p
rop
osa
l h
old
s si
gn
ific
ant
pro
mis
e fo
r im
pro
vin
g t
he
jud
icia
lad
min
istr
atio
n o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e S
tate
wid
e O
ffic
e o
f P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
dev
elo
pin
g a
war
d m
anag
emen
t so
ftw
are
dat
abas
e, w
hic
h i
s d
esig
ned
to
cap
ture
gu
ard
ian
ship
dat
a in
sta
nd
ard
ized
man
ner
.
Th
e F
lori
da
Co
urt
Tec
hn
olo
gy
Co
mm
issi
on
is
char
ged
wit
h d
evel
op
ing
tec
hn
olo
gic
al s
tan
dar
ds
for
auto
mat
ed c
ou
rt s
yst
ems
in t
he
stat
e. T
he
Co
mm
issi
on
asp
ires
to
bri
ng
a c
oh
esiv
e, in
teg
rate
d a
pp
roac
h t
o t
he
use
of
tech
no
log
y in
th
e ju
dic
ial b
ran
ch f
or
coll
ecti
ng
, pro
cess
ing
, an
d s
har
ing
info
rmat
ion
in a
sta
nd
ard
ized
fo
rmat
. S
uch
sta
nd
ard
ized
au
tom
ated
co
urt
sy
stem
s w
ill n
ot
on
ly m
eet
the
dat
a n
eed
s o
f ju
dg
es,
the
pu
bli
c, ju
stic
e sy
stem
par
tner
s, a
nd
oth
ers
wh
o n
eed
to
acc
ess
cou
rt i
nfo
rmat
ion
, b
ut
also
en
cou
rag
e in
no
vat
ive
cost
-eff
ecti
ve
pro
ject
s th
at c
an b
e u
sed
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
e ju
dic
ial
bra
nch
. J
oin
t ap
pli
cati
on
dev
elo
p-
men
t (J
AD
) se
ssio
ns
wer
e h
eld
to
ass
ess
the
dat
a n
eed
s o
f th
e tr
ial
cou
rts
in t
he
var
iou
s to
pic
al a
reas
, in
clu
din
g t
he
pro
bat
e,g
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
men
tal
hea
lth
div
isio
n.
Bas
ed o
n t
he
ou
tco
me
of
the
JAD
ses
sio
ns,
tec
hn
olo
gy
sta
nd
ard
s w
ere
dev
elo
ped
and
ad
op
ted
in
th
e fa
ll o
f 20
02.
Th
e in
form
atio
n c
urr
entl
y a
vai
lab
le, a
s w
ell a
s th
e en
han
ced
dat
a th
at c
ou
ld b
e p
rov
ided
thro
ug
h im
pro
ved
tech
no
log
y, s
ho
uld
be
uti
lize
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
alo
ng
wit
h t
he
cler
k o
f co
urt
’so
ffic
e as
sist
s w
ith
th
e co
ord
inat
ion
an
d o
ver
sig
ht
fun
ctio
ns
of
the
pre
sid
ing
ju
dic
ial
off
icer
to
en
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
ere
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y a
dm
inis
ter
the
case
of
the
war
d, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or-
ing
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
tak
e th
e fo
llo
win
g s
tep
s:
Rev
iew
case
fil
es
an
d e
nte
r d
ata
in
co
nfo
rmit
y w
ith
th
e c
om
pre
hen
siv
e g
uard
ian
ship
data
req
uir
em
en
ts c
on
tain
ed
in
th
e p
rob
ate
, Gu
ard
ian
ship
an
d M
en
tal/
Med
ical
Healt
h F
un
ctio
nal
Req
uir
em
en
ts D
ocu
men
t, V
ers
ion
1.3
, Ja
nu
ary
28, 2003, S
up
rem
e C
ou
rt o
f F
lori
da, O
ffic
e o
f th
e S
tate
Co
urt
s A
dm
inis
trato
r, T
rial
Co
urt
s N
eed
s
Ass
essm
ent
Pro
ject
.
Co
nd
uct
fo
llo
w-u
p o
n r
ep
ort
s th
at
are
no
t
•T
imel
y f
iled
.•
Co
mp
lete
d.
•A
pp
rov
ed b
y t
he
cou
rt.
Pre
pare
ord
ers
to
sh
ow
cau
se f
or
the c
ou
rt’s
co
nsi
dera
tio
n.
Sch
ed
ule
heari
ng
s, w
hen
ap
pro
pri
ate
an
d a
t th
e c
ou
rt’s
dir
ect
ion
.
34
Main
tain
a c
ase
in
ven
tory
an
d n
oti
fy t
he c
ou
rt o
f o
ld c
ase
s.
Rep
ort
to
th
e c
ou
rt o
n w
heth
er
•C
ou
rt o
rder
s ap
pro
vin
g r
epo
rts
hav
e b
een
en
tere
d.
•T
he
war
d’s
dri
ver
’s l
icen
se h
as b
een
rev
ok
ed, i
f re
qu
ired
.•
An
y o
ther
lo
cal
pro
vis
ion
s an
d a
dm
inis
trat
ive
ord
ers
hav
e b
een
co
mp
lied
wit
h.
In o
rder
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er r
epo
rts
and
do
cum
ents
hav
e b
een
fil
ed t
imel
y a
nd
are
co
mp
lete
, an
d o
ther
pro
ced
ura
lre
qu
irem
ents
hav
e b
een
fo
llo
wed
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
es o
f re
sou
rces
mu
st b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•C
ou
rt d
ock
ets.
•H
ard
war
e an
d s
oft
war
e fo
r a
case
tra
ckin
g a
nd
mo
nit
ori
ng
sy
stem
or
wel
l-d
evel
op
ed
p
roto
cols
an
d c
hec
kli
sts.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•In
form
atio
n s
yst
ems
staf
f an
d/
or
dat
abas
e ad
min
istr
ato
r.•
Sk
ille
d, d
edic
ated
pro
bat
e cl
erk
.
Tra
inin
g f
or
pro
bate
cle
rk.
It i
s cl
ear
that
co
mp
ute
riza
tio
n o
f m
uch
of
thes
e p
roce
sses
, an
d t
he
use
of
rela
tio
nal
dat
abas
es, w
ou
ld s
ign
ific
antl
y r
edu
ceth
e le
vel
of
man
po
wer
nec
essa
ry t
o e
ffec
tiv
ely
pro
vid
e th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht
serv
ice
req
uir
ed b
y t
he
Leg
isla
ture
an
dre
sult
in
a c
on
com
itan
t re
du
ctio
n i
n c
ost
per
cas
e.
35
MIN
OR
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
S
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
agre
ed t
o r
eco
mm
end
th
at t
he
Leg
isla
ture
in
crea
se t
he
thre
sho
ld d
oll
ar a
mo
un
t fo
r m
ino
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ips.
Pri
or
to t
he
com
ple
tio
n o
f th
e C
om
mit
tee’
s w
ork
, th
e L
egis
latu
re a
cted
du
rin
g t
he
2002
ses
sio
n b
y i
ncr
easi
ng
th
e am
ou
nt
to$1
5,00
0 (s
ee s
ecti
on
744
.387
, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
com
men
ds
the
Leg
isla
ture
fo
r in
crea
sin
g t
he
juri
sdic
tio
nal
amo
un
t in
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s b
ecau
se t
hat
wil
l al
low
lim
ited
jud
icia
l re
sou
rces
to
be
focu
sed
on
th
e m
ore
co
mp
lex
gu
ard
-ia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
the
foll
ow
ing
ad
dit
ion
al c
han
ges
reg
ard
ing
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s:
•R
equ
ire
secu
re c
ust
od
ial
ban
k a
cco
un
ts, t
hat
can
no
t b
e ch
ang
ed, u
nd
er t
he
Un
ifo
rm T
ran
sfer
to
Min
ors
Act
, fo
r su
ms
un
der
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
. In
an
y u
nd
erly
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
set
tlem
ent,
jud
ges
sh
ou
ld r
equ
ire
a re
ceip
t fo
rth
e ac
cou
nt
to b
e fi
led
, or
the
fun
ds
cou
ld b
e co
mm
itte
d t
o t
he
pu
rch
ase
of
an I
nte
rnal
Rev
enu
e C
od
e S
ecti
on
529
Pla
no
r o
ther
ap
pro
pri
ate
pre
-pai
d c
oll
ege
tuit
ion
pla
n.
•A
llo
w s
imp
lifi
ed a
cco
un
tin
g f
or
ban
k, s
tock
, or
bro
ker
age
acco
un
ts i
f th
ere
are
no
wit
hd
raw
als
oth
er t
han
th
ose
au
tho
rize
d b
y c
ou
rt o
rder
.
Th
e p
rop
ose
d a
lter
nat
ive
to m
ino
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip,
for
sum
s u
nd
er t
he
amo
un
t al
low
ed b
y s
tatu
te,
wo
uld
all
ow
th
e co
urt
to
rev
iew
th
e al
tern
ativ
e p
lace
men
t o
f th
e fu
nd
s in
a s
ecu
re a
cco
un
t su
ch a
s a
pre
pai
d c
oll
ege
fun
d o
r ap
pro
pri
ate
ann
uit
y.
36
ED
UC
AT
ION
AN
D T
RA
ININ
GG
uard
ian
s
In a
cco
rdan
ce w
ith
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s m
ust
co
mp
lete
a 4
0-h
ou
r tr
ain
ing
co
urs
e ap
pro
ved
by
th
e O
ffic
eo
f S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
(se
ctio
n 7
44.1
085,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes)
. F
amil
y m
emb
ers
and
oth
er n
on
-pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
mu
st c
om
ple
te a
n 8
-ho
ur
trai
nin
g c
ou
rse
app
rov
ed b
y t
he
chie
f ju
dg
e (s
ecti
on
744
.314
5, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
Th
e S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Off
ice;
the
Go
ver
nm
ent L
awy
ers
Sec
tio
n a
nd
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
; Ste
tso
nU
niv
ersi
ty S
cho
ol
of
Law
; an
d o
ther
s w
ork
ed t
o d
evel
op
a B
asic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Tra
inin
g M
anu
al.
Fro
m t
his
bas
ic t
rain
ing
pro
-g
ram
, th
e m
inim
um
cu
rric
ulu
m c
on
ten
t fo
r th
e 40
-ho
ur
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n c
ou
rses
was
dev
elo
ped
. I
nfo
rmat
ion
on
th
ese
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
s is
acc
essi
ble
on
th
e In
tern
et a
t h
ttp
://
ww
w.f
mh
i.u
sf.e
du
/g
uar
dia
n.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
dis
cuss
ed t
he
nee
d t
o g
ear
trai
nin
g c
urr
icu
lla
to t
he
spec
ific
ty
pe
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
to
bet
ter
pre
par
e g
uar
dia
ns
for
han
dli
ng
th
eir
case
. T
he
com
mit
tee
enco
ura
ges
th
e R
eal
Pro
per
ty,
Pro
bat
e an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n,
the
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n,
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
, an
d t
he
Gen
eral
Mas
ters
Co
mm
itte
e o
f th
e F
amil
y L
aw S
ecti
on
o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar t
o d
evel
op
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
s an
d/
or
vid
eos
targ
etin
g s
pec
ific
ty
pes
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
is e
du
cati
on
an
d t
rain
ing
mig
ht
beg
in f
rom
the
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n.
Att
orn
eys
Th
e co
mm
itte
e d
iscu
ssed
th
e n
eed
to
dif
fere
nti
ate
bet
wee
n t
he
pra
ctic
e o
f la
w a
nd
so
cial
wo
rk w
hen
han
dli
ng
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
esan
d n
ote
d t
hat
a g
oo
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
awy
er i
s n
ot
nec
essa
rily
tra
ined
as
a g
uar
dia
n.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
the
foll
ow
ing
trai
nin
g r
equ
irem
ents
fo
r at
torn
eys
wh
o h
and
le g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
:
•T
he
Co
mm
itte
e ca
lls
up
on
Flo
rid
a la
w s
cho
ols
to
pla
ce m
ore
em
ph
asis
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
law
iss
ues
an
d i
ncl
ud
ecu
rric
ula
fo
cuse
d o
n e
lder
, dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y, m
enta
l h
ealt
h, a
nd
su
bst
ance
ab
use
iss
ues
, fro
m t
he
ver
y b
eg
inn
ing
.•
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
’s p
rog
ram
fo
r n
ew a
tto
rney
s, P
ract
icin
g w
ith
Pro
fess
ion
alis
m, s
ho
uld
in
clu
de
a se
gm
ent
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
, eld
er, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, men
tal
hea
lth
, an
d s
ub
stan
ce a
bu
se i
ssu
es t
o i
ncr
ease
th
e aw
aren
ess
of
pra
ctic
e in
th
ese
area
s o
f th
e la
w, r
eco
gn
izin
g t
hat
in
div
idu
als
wit
h m
enta
l il
lnes
ses,
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies,
or
sub
stan
ce a
bu
se p
rob
lem
s m
ay r
equ
ire
the
stru
ctu
red
rel
atio
nsh
ip o
f a
gu
ard
ian
ship
.•
Th
e co
mm
itte
e en
cou
rag
es t
he
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, Pro
bat
e an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n, t
he
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n, t
he
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
, an
d t
he
Gen
eral
Mas
ters
Co
mm
itte
e o
f th
e F
amil
y L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
to
dev
elo
p a
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r m
aste
rs a
nd
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
eys.
•
Att
orn
eys
wh
o a
re i
nex
per
ien
ced
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
law
, su
ch a
s p
erso
nal
in
jury
att
orn
eys
and
oth
ers,
sh
ou
ld b
een
cou
rag
ed t
o t
ake
the
exis
tin
g 8
-ho
ur
cou
rse.
Fu
rth
er, a
tto
rney
s w
ho
ser
ve
as g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
no
t b
e al
low
ed t
oau
tom
atic
ally
wai
ve
the
8-h
ou
r ed
uca
tio
nal
req
uir
emen
t.
37
Th
ese
chan
ges
co
uld
be
imp
lem
ente
d t
hro
ug
h a
sta
tuto
ry c
han
ge,
or
the
jud
ge
cou
ld e
nco
ura
ge
such
ed
uca
tio
n b
y a
llo
win
g a
hig
her
fee
aft
er t
he
no
n-c
erti
fied
att
orn
ey c
om
ple
tes
the
trai
nin
g.
Jud
ge
s
In s
om
e o
f th
e la
rger
urb
an c
ircu
its,
on
e o
r m
ore
jud
ges
are
ass
ign
ed t
o a
sep
arat
e P
rob
ate,
Gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d M
enta
l H
ealt
hD
ivis
ion
. T
ho
se j
ud
ges
dev
elo
p k
no
wle
dg
e n
ot
on
ly a
bo
ut
the
app
lica
ble
law
s an
d p
roce
du
res
bu
t al
so t
he
pro
ble
ms
and
circ
um
stan
ces
that
oft
en f
ace
war
ds.
Ho
wev
er, i
n t
he
maj
ori
ty o
f th
e tr
ial
cou
rts,
gu
ard
ian
ship
mat
ters
are
han
dle
d b
y ju
dg
esas
sig
ned
to
th
e g
ener
al C
ivil
Div
isio
n.
Du
e to
th
e d
iver
sity
of
mat
ters
bef
ore
th
em, t
ho
se ju
dg
es d
o n
ot
hav
e th
e sa
me
op
po
r-tu
nit
y t
o d
evel
op
ex
per
tise
on
th
e is
sues
th
at f
req
uen
tly
ari
se i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
•A
dd
itio
nal
tra
inin
g o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
aw i
ssu
es,
incl
ud
ing
cu
rric
ula
fo
cuse
d o
n e
lder
, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, an
d m
enta
l h
ealt
h m
atte
rs, s
ho
uld
be
avai
lab
le t
o a
ll ju
dg
es t
hro
ug
h t
he
Flo
rid
a C
on
fere
nce
of
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
es.
Th
ese
top
ics
are
amo
ng
th
ose
iden
tifi
ed b
y t
he
Flo
rid
a C
ou
rt E
du
cati
on
Co
un
cil a
s “c
riti
cal t
rain
ing
are
as.”
Ju
dic
ial e
du
cati
on
on
th
ese
issu
es s
ho
uld
als
o b
e in
clu
ded
in
th
e g
ener
al c
ivil
tra
cks,
sin
ce m
ost
cir
cuit
s d
o n
ot
hav
e ju
dg
es w
ho
hea
rp
rob
ate
case
s ex
clu
siv
ely
.•
Th
e S
up
rem
e C
ou
rt s
ho
uld
en
cou
rag
e ju
dg
es t
o r
evie
w t
he
curr
icu
lum
or
par
tici
pat
e in
sel
ecte
d s
ecti
on
s o
f th
e 40
-h
ou
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
trai
nin
g, a
s p
rom
ulg
ated
by
the
Off
ice
of
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip, p
rio
r to
the
jud
ge’
sas
sig
nm
ent
to t
he
pro
bat
e d
ivis
ion
.
Pro
ba
te C
lerk
s a
nd
Co
urt
Sta
ff
Ap
pro
pri
ate,
sp
ecia
lize
d t
rain
ing
fo
r al
l co
urt
sta
ff i
nv
olv
ed i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs w
ou
ld b
e b
enef
icia
l.
Acc
ord
ing
ly,
the
Co
mm
itte
e o
ffer
s th
e fo
llo
win
g r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns:
•T
he
Flo
rid
a A
sso
ciat
ion
of
Co
urt
Cle
rks
sho
uld
dev
elo
p a
co
mp
reh
ensi
ve
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r p
rob
ate
cler
ks
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
iss
ues
.•
Th
e F
lori
da
Co
urt
Ed
uca
tio
n C
ou
nci
l sh
ou
ld o
ffer
tra
inin
g o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
aw,
as w
ell
as e
lder
, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
-a
bil
itie
s, a
nd
men
tal
hea
lth
iss
ues
, fo
r co
urt
sta
ff w
ith
res
po
nsi
bil
itie
s re
lati
ng
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
38
