Estates Code § 1101.001

Sec. 1101.001. APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT OF GUARDIAN; CONTENTS. (a) Any person may commence a proceeding for the appointment of a guardian by filing a written application in a court having jurisdiction and venue. (b) The application must be sworn to by the applicant and state: (1) the proposed ward's name, sex, date of birth, and address; (2) the name, former name, if any, relationship, and address of the person the applicant seeks to have appointed as guardian; (3) whether guardianship of the person or estate, or both, is sought; (3-a) whether alternatives to guardianship and available supports and services to avoid guardianship were considered; (3-b) whether any alternatives to guardianship and supports and services available to the proposed ward considered are feasible and would avoid the need for a guardianship; (4) the nature and degree of the alleged incapacity, the specific areas of protection and assistance requested, and the limitation or termination of rights requested to be included in the court's order of appointment, including a termination of: (A) the right of a proposed ward who is 18 years of age or older to vote in a public election; (B) the proposed ward's eligibility to hold or obtain a license to operate a motor vehicle under Chapter 521, Transportation Code; and (C) the right of a proposed ward to make personal decisions regarding residence; (5) the facts requiring the appointment of a guardian; (6) the interest of the applicant in the appointment of a guardian; (7) the nature and description of any kind of guardianship existing for the proposed ward in any other state; (8) to enable a criminal history record information background check to be obtained on the person, the name, address, phone number, and date of birth, if applicable, of any person having the care and custody of the proposed ward or the proposed ward's estate; (9) the approximate value and a detailed description of the proposed ward's property, including: (A) liquid assets, including any compensation, pension, insurance, or allowance to which the proposed ward may be entitled; and (B) non-liquid assets, including real property; (10) the name and address of any person whom the applicant knows to hold a power of attorney signed by the proposed ward and a description of the type of power of attorney; (11) for a proposed ward who is a minor, the following information if known by the applicant: (A) the name of each of the proposed ward's parents and either the parent's address or that the parent is deceased; (B) the name and age of each of the proposed ward's siblings, if any, and either the sibling's address or that the sibling is deceased; and (C) if each of the proposed ward's parents and adult siblings are deceased, the names and addresses of the proposed ward's other living relatives who are related to the proposed ward within the third degree by consanguinity and who are adults; (12) for a proposed ward who is a minor, whether the minor was the subject of a legal or conservatorship proceeding in the preceding two years and, if so: (A) the court involved; (B) the nature of the proceeding; and (C) any final disposition of the proceeding; (13) for a proposed ward who is an adult, the following information if known by the applicant: (A) the name of the proposed ward's spouse, if any, and either the spouse's address or that the spouse is deceased; (B) the name of each of the proposed ward's parents and either the parent's address or that the parent is deceased; (C) the name and age of each of the proposed ward's siblings, if any, and either the sibling's address or that the sibling is deceased; (D) the name and age of each of the proposed ward's children, if any, and either the child's address or that the child is deceased; and (E) if there is no living spouse, parent, adult sibling, or adult child of the proposed ward, the names and addresses of the proposed ward's other living relatives who are related to the proposed ward within the third degree by consanguinity and who are adults; (14) facts showing that the court has venue of the proceeding; and (15) if applicable, that the person whom the applicant seeks to have appointed as a guardian is a private professional guardian who is certified under Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Government Code, and has complied with the requirements of Subchapter G, Chapter 1104. (c) For purposes of this section, a proposed ward's relatives within the third degree by consanguinity include the proposed ward's: (1) grandparent or grandchild; and (2) great-grandparent, great-grandchild, aunt who is a sister of a parent of the proposed ward, uncle who is a brother of a parent of the proposed ward, nephew who is a child of a brother or sister of the proposed ward, or niece who is a child of a brother or sister of the proposed ward. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 823 (H.B. 2759), Sec. 1.02, eff. January 1, 2014. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 42 (S.B. 966), Sec. 2.07, eff. September 1, 2014. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 6.035, eff. January 1, 2014. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 214 (H.B. 39), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1031 (H.B. 1438), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 521 (S.B. 626), Sec. 21, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 576 (S.B. 615), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1155 (S.B. 2587), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2025.