Quick Resource Guide: Guardianship

How to:

• • How to Become a Guardian
    Overview of the steps involved to become a child’s legal guardian, including links to forms.
  • Duties of a Guardian: 
    Summary of the rights and responsibilities of a guardian of the person and a guardian of the estate.

Forms

• • Start a Guardianship Case
    Forms needed to petition for guardianship, become a temporary guardian, or end a guardianship.
  • Alameda County Guardianship Packet Questionnaire 
  • Alameda County Probate Guardianship Packet (.zip, external) 20MB
    This packet contains the Judicial Council forms required to file a a Guardianship of person, estate, or person and estate matter.
  • Alameda County Temporary Guardianship Packet  (.zip, external) 6MB
    This packet contains the Judicial Council forms required to request a temporary Guardianship, intended for urgent or emergency situations only.
  • Interactive Form Builder – Petition for Appointment of Guardian
    This site allows you to complete the required paperwork for certain types of legal actions by answering questions in an online interview.

Library Books

• • The Guardianship Book for California: How to Become a Child’s Legal Guardian.  KFC134 .B76 2011, shelf 108B.  Also available as an eBook through Nolo Press (Ebsco)
  • California Guardianship Practice. KFC134 .C35, shelf 109B.  Also available as an eBook through CEB OnLaw.

Videos

From the Sacramento County Law Library
These videos walk the viewer through the steps to apply for guardianship of a minor.

• • Applying for Guardianship Part 1
  • Applying for Guardianship Part 2

Free Legal Help

Alameda County Court Self-Help Center
Contact the SHC via phone or chat to ask a questions, make an appointment, or register for a workshop. The Self-Help Center does not take walk-in patrons, but you may make an appointment to talk to someone in person.

LiveChat – Monday-Thursday, 9AM-12PM

• • • Access via “Need Help” chat widget
    • Login early. They may stop taking chats before the stated hours once reaching capacity.

Phones

• • • Call: (510) 272-1393, Mon-Thurs, 2PM-4PM
    • Voicemails can only be left during phone hours; Messages are returned within 5 business days.

Workshops

Guardianship of the Minor Workshops offered bimonthly.  Flyer for workshop. (PDF, external)

All for the Family Legal Clinic, Inc.
Providing equal access to justice for low-income and modest-means litigants in the Bay Area.

• • Address: 3137 Castro Valley Blvd, #210, Castro Valley, CA, 94546
  • Phone: (510)-999-7732

Community Legal Assistance Saturday Program (CLASP)
Free all-topics telephone legal clinic on the first Saturday/month. Volunteer attorneys speak with individuals for 15-20 minutes.

• • To make an appointment, call the intake line at (510) 485-9933 between 10:00 am – noon on the first Saturday/month and an attorney will call you back later that day.
  • CLASP Flyer (PDF)

Legal Assistance for Seniors
The LAS Guardianship Program assists Alameda County residents who are caring for someone else’s minor child(ren) in their homes.

• • Address: 333 Hegenberger Rd #850, Oakland, CA 94621
  • Phone: (510) 832-3040

Hire an Attorney

BALI – Bay Area Legal Incubator
Affordable legal services. Some attorneys offer sliding scale fees.  In-take form available on website, and you can also read the profiles and get contact information for the BALI attorneys.

• • Address: 125 12th St., Mezzanine Level, Oakland, CA 94607
  • Please see the BALI website to find phone numbers for individual attorneys

ACBA Lawyer Referral Service 
The Alameda County Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) has been the trusted source for lawyer referrals in Alameda County for over 50 years.  There is a $40.00 administrative for an attorney referral and 30-minute consultation.  Attorneys charge $200 – 400/hour for services.

• • Call to make an appointment. (510) 302-2222 x4 
  • Clients can also self-book consultations online

California State Bar

The California State Bar lists basic information about all attorneys registered to practice law in the state of California.  In addition, the site also provides an attorney referral service for the public to find qualified attorneys in their county.

Updated 4.10.2026