Legal Definitions - Ward

Courts may appoint guardians to care for people who cannot properly take care of themselves, due to age or legal incompetence. These protected people are the wards of their guardians.

A court may appoint a guardian to take care of an elderly person who has dementia and cannot make decisions for themselves. The guardian would be responsible for making decisions about the person's healthcare, finances, and daily needs. In this case, the elderly person is the ward of the guardian.

Another example could be a child whose parents are unable to care for them due to drug addiction. The court may appoint a guardian to take care of the child's needs and make decisions on their behalf. The child would be the ward of the guardian.

These examples illustrate how a ward is someone who is unable to care for themselves and needs a guardian to make decisions for them. The guardian is responsible for acting in the best interest of the ward and ensuring their needs are met.