Guardians and Wards — Infoplease.com

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The Question:

When a person has been declared incompetent and the court appoints someone to handle their financial and physical affairs, what is that person called?

The Answer:

The legal term for the person placed in charge of an individual's care or their property is "guardian." The individual being cared for is a "ward." When the court appoints someone for this duty, the term is "guardian ad litem."

Here is a link to our encyclopedia for more information about guardians and wards.

—The Editors

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