There are generally two types of guardianships in Missouri: guardianships for children and guardianships for adults. A person has to go to court to get guardianship; a person cannot obtain this without a court order. The court’s Letters of Guardianship provide a person the legal power to take care, custody, and control over a minor child or a disabled, incompetent, or incapacitated adult. From his office in Jefferson City, Missouri, attorney Scott Hamblin has represented hundreds of foster parents, grandparents, family members, and adult children as their lawyers in obtaining guardianships over children and adults.
Foster parents, grandparents, and other family members make up the primary category of people who may apply for guardian rights over children and grandchildren. The Letters of Guardianship, which are issued by a court after a hearing, give power to the guardian to take care, custody, and control over a child when the natural parents of a child are unfit, unable, or unwilling. Guardian rights for minor children might be sought in any number of different circumstances but the list can include situations of abandonment by one or both parents, alcohol or drug abuse by one or both parents, incarceration in jail or prison, mental health issues by the parents, the condition of the living environment of the children, sexual abuse of a child, physical abuse of a child, neglect, and where a parent has been convicted of a sexual offense against the child. A guardianship does not terminate the parental rights of the parents over a child so the parents do have an opportunity to get the kids back, but the guardianship does give the guardian the power to make decisions in the best interest of the children even when the parents may disagree with the decision of the guardian.
Spouses, adult children, and other family members may apply for an adult guardianship for their mom, dad, husband, or wife. Adult guardianship is generally sought where the adult is no longer able to physically care for himself/herself, suffers from Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other mental health condition. Generally, two doctors must certify that the adult for whom guardianship is sought is incapacitated, disabled, or the person creates a risk of harm to the public of themselves. Obtaining guardian rights over a parent can be difficult for any number of reasons including that the parent experiences anger, resentment, or a loss of control. Generally, an adult guardianship will involve the ward feeling as if things are being taken from him or her, or that their son or daughter is trying to control them by moving them out of their house into a nursing home or assisted living center, is taking their car away, is denying a person access to their bank accounts.
Attorney Scott Hamblin can assist you with obtaining guardian rights over children and adults. Contact his law office today.
A mother was seeking sole custody of her children following a divorce. The father refused to cooperate, leaving the client in a difficult situation as she felt as though her children didn’t have a voice. Scott recognized her need for an advocate and carefully listened to the children’s wishes, which conclusively helped the client achieve sole custody of her children and protected their best interests.
Scott assisted a defendant in a particularly challenging divorce case in which the other spouse was not cooperating. Scott was able to help the client avoid court through an aggressive legal approach to resolve all outstanding disagreements while maintaining the client’s long-term needs.
A grandparent sought visitation rights to his grandchild after the parent tried to block him. Scott takes grandparents’ rights very seriously, and so he devised a strategy to help the grandparent set a visitation schedule. Scott developed a strategy to show that the child’s best interests were fulfilled through the grandparent’s ability to visit the child, helping push the case towards a resolution in the client’s favor.
Scott was honest, he was straightforward, and the best of all he was good at what he does. He's very knowledgeable and practices his craft well. I had a 10/10 experience with Scott and will trust no other attorney to handle my case.
Scott Hamblin is a great attorney. Between Scott and his legal assistant Madasyn, I felt like all my questions were answered promptly and thoroughly. Scott is very knowledgeable and was very well prepared for trial. I would recommend Scott to anyone needing an attorney.
Can't say enough good things about Mr. Hamblin and his team. They're responsive, treat your case like it's their own, and are personable as can be. Court can be daunting, but they are there to help you through every step of the tough process. Madasyn is part of this team and deserves to be recognized…
10/10 recommend Mr. Scott Hamblin. Mr. Hamblin and his legal assistant Madasyn have been wonderful throughout my whole case and very prompt, and helpful the whole time. He was very thorough and left nothing missed during my whole case. Questions were answered quickly throughout the process whether through email, phone or in person. As well…
Scott recently provided outstanding representation for my divorce. He was well-prepared throughout the course of the litigation and trial, resulting in a very favorable outcome for me. Scott is a very bright attorney who takes pride in his work, and it shows. He is truly in a league of his own.
Scott is a phenomenal attorney, no sugar-coating straightforward and to the point. As an older man I found myself in a custody case, and had little hope of any outcomes in my favor. This guy knows his law and his business, and is about it. His personality is soothing and his office is always on…
Scott is the best attorney, hands down! My husband had a fairly difficult case, he had little hope that he’d be able to receive anything he was asking for and Scott helped him achieve everything, very quickly. He’s very professional, compassionate and understanding and works hard to help you achieve the best possible outcome. We…
Scott came highly recommended by an attorney friend of mine after I received an unfavorable outcome working with a different lawyer in the area. Scott was smart, pleasant to work with, and achieved the best possible outcome for me. I only wish I would have used him sooner.
We had a very unique case. It was confusing and complicated. Scott stepped in, helped and guided us on our journey. He was knowledgeable, professional and very honest with us. I highly recommend him if you are put in a circumstance where you need an attorney. His integrity is amazing. The entire firm was wonderful…
Scott Hamblin is reliable, trustworthy, very professional, and hardworking. I highly recommend him for any of your lawyer needs.
I have been working with Mr. Hamblin for almost one and a half years and consider him to be one of the finest Lawyers I have ever done business with. Mr. Hamblin’s understanding of Missouri law is to say the least encyclopedic. His areas of expertise are broad and far-reaching. While working with Mr. Hamblin…
Scott was efficient and knew his stuff. Very thorough and committed to our family. He had worked on two different cases for us and did an excellent job. No regrets!
Mr. Hamblin succeeded in winning a child custody modification case for me that most lawyers I spoke with wouldn't even take on. Many told me that modifying a child custody agreement was nearly impossible. Due to the changes at my children's Father's house and the toll it was taking on their mental health, my children…
Scott is a very compassionate but honest man. I have known Scott for 10+ years. I met him while fostering children with Cole County Children's Division. When he became the adoption lawyer for Cole County Children's Division in 2007 my husband and I were one of the first to use him to become adoptive parents…
Scott is a great lawyer, will do what he says! He will work his tail off for you. It was a long 2 year divorce, but I am so glad he was representing me. Very fair and doesn't overcharge for his services. I can now say he is my friend, not only my attorney.
Scott did a great job handling our custody case. He fought for us every step of the way and got things done quickly. He even refunded over half of our retainer because he got the case handled quicker than expected. I would recommend him to anyone.
Scott Hamblin is a great lawyer. He has assisted me in my divorce and custody issues over the past three years. He is easy to work with and has always kept me informed/involved in my cases, as they progress.
If I ever again need any legal advice, I will ask Scott Hamblin every time. Scott was my divorce/child custody attorney. I was extremely happy with him. He cares about his clients and always called in person. He made the almost impossible come true for me! That's how great of an attorney he is. Thank…
He went above and beyond to get me all the help legally available in each situation, and he did so with a kind and calming demeanor. His efforts also included being logical about the use of my funds in these matters. I have never before met a lawyer who gives refunds if he does not…
Scott Hamblin was originally suggested to me for adoption, but I was so impressed I also used his services for future adoptions, name changes and all family law matters since meeting him.
We were forced to hire an attorney when my childrens’ absentee father decided that he suddenly wanted to file for joint custody. After my consultation we decided Mr. Hamblin was who we needed. He was straightforward about all of the possible outcomes, and what we could and couldn’t do. He knows the law very well,…
Scott represented me on a matter that was small, but very important to me. Scott was professional, honest and informative every step of the way. Even though my case was a small one, I never felt any less than his most important client whenever we met or had court appearances. I am absolutely certain that…
Scott was a great lawyer and turned into a friend. He does everything he says he will do, and he works his tail off for you. He would call me at night, and on weekends, not a lot of lawyers will do that. My divorce took over 2 years, I am so glad I switched…
Scott is a great attorney to have on your side. He has helped my family more than I could of ever expected. Thanks again. I would recommend Scott to anyone!
Mr. Hamblin was a step ahead of my every concern. A divorce can be so scary but to be honest I didn't find myself worrying over the process. He didn't miss a detail and gave me so much confidence in his advice. He went above and beyond my expectations. His understanding made me feel like…
For accessible and experienced representation, contact attorney Scott Hamblin today.