Sometimes naming the person who cannot be the guardian matters as much as naming the person who should. Judges are not mind readers. They read the file. If the other parent walks in and says I want to be the guardian because I am the parent, the judge will say yes, unless something in your documents speaks to the contrary. That person could be an addict, an alcoholic, an abuser. If you have not written it down, you are leaving your child exposed to it.
What I Said
From my September 10 Parents Edition workshop at the Cambria Hotel in Calabasas, lightly edited for readability.
Oh, I spoke about it. So sometimes it is as important to name the person who cannot be the guardian as the person who you want to be the guardian. 'Cause judges, they're not whisperers. They cannot read your mind. They must read your wishes, because if the father of the child or mother of the child comes in and says, "Hi, I want to be the guardian 'cause I am the parent," the judge will say yes, unless something speaks to the contrary.
But that person could be a drug addict, could be an alcoholic, could be an abuser. If you don't name this person as somebody you don't want your kid to be with, then you're subjecting your child to that threat.
The full talk, written down: Who Picks Up Your Child From School if You Never Come Home?
More on this topic: Wills
More From the Workshop
- Your Wish Only Counts if the Court Can Read It From the File
- It Is Not About the Money. It Is About Dignity.
- She Wanted Everything to Go to the Church. Then She Told Me About Her Son.
Book a free consultation, or call (818) 788-7881.
Attorney advertising. This content is general information, not legal advice.