1. Forms Provided at Presentation.
  2. Guardianship Monitoring Program. Judicial Assistants are assigned to GMP with additional duties in the courtroom as overseers of court operation and providing direction to the court.
    • The current Judicial Assistants are: Jessica Ramsay & Kristin Rose
    • GMP has responsibility for ensuring:
      • Expenditures are to the sole benefit of individual
      • Correct reporting dates
      • Appropriateness of requested fees
      • Any changes since previous order entered
      • Accuracy of accounting
      • Comparison of report to supporting documents
  3. Email. GMP.Registry@co.benton.wa.us
    1. Include case name & cause number in the subject line for quicker response.
    2.  Request rotation list for CV/GAL appointment.
    3. Submission of Proposed Orders (summary dates may be left blank for court entry).
    4.  When needing to contact GMP in urgent matters/general inquiries.
  4. Reports. 
    1. Confirm the report is clear, concise, accurate, and demonstrates how the individual is being cared for.
    2. Refer to Instructional Forms for submission of reports.
    3. Allow sufficient time for review by GMP.
    4. Reports are reviewed in order of receipt of emailed proposed order.
    5. We request 60 days for review of Periodic Reports.
      • GMP will no longer be extending letters. Parties must file a Motion and Notice of Hearing for an extension. Due to Judicial Assistant responsibilities, we are unable to meet with parties prior to filing their report
      • Correction to reports:
        • Addendum – for minimal corrections
        • Declaration – for explanation
        • Hearing – oral explanation without supporting documents
        • Amended Report – upon request/incomplete reports
      • Once Order Approving is signed, GMP will file with the clerk and confirm issuance of new Letters. Parties shall then be notified via email and may request a non-conformed copy for purpose of calendaring due dates.
  5. Review. Determination of adherence to previous report and any change/deviation:
    • Completion of Report
      • Updated forms used from State Courts website
      • Forms are unaltered
      • No blank sections or incomplete sentences (eg “no change”)
    • Any changes are verified by
      • Explanation on report
      • Supporting documentation
      • Previously filed documents
    • Upon discovery of discrepancies the court may
      • Issue a Notice of Inability to Complete Review if there are items missing/needed (filed with court and emailed to parties)
      • Parties have 30 days to reply, after which an Order to Show Cause may be issued
    • Order to Show Cause may be issued for:
      • Concerns regarding the report
      • Concerns regarding well being of individual
      • Significant discrepancies in accounting
  6. Hearings. Shall be required for any matters in which there are changes in the Guardianship/Conservatorship outside the scope of the previous order. Not required for approval of Guardian Plan/Conservator Inventory or Periodic Report.
    • Ex Parte matters:
      • Emergency Guardianship matters
      • Appointment of Court Visitor
      • All else are subject to GMP process
      • If an Order is sent to the clerks without being marked “proposed” it could be subject to an Ex Parte fee, which is not part of GMP process
  7. SS Rep Payee. Parties may request to convert Full Conservatorship to Limited scope or Termination of Conservatorship if there is a Designated SS Representative Payee.
    • Limited Conservatorship
      • Reduction of necessity to provide extensive detailed explanation on accounting
      • May provide SS Rep Payee annual report in lieu of bank statements
    • Termination of Conservatorship
      • Submit Periodic Guardians Report & Final Conservators Report simultaneously
      • Set hearing (min. 3 weeks out) to convert case to Guardianship only
  8. Registry Requests. Follow the template when requesting the next available Court Visitor/Guardian ad Litem:
    1. Submit request via GMP email.
    2. Notice of Proposed individual next on rotation shall be returned within a suitable time frame.
    3. Return the form by indicating if the individual has accepted/declined the appoint and reason for such within 10 days.
    4. If not received by then, it will be presumed the case is not moving forward and the individual will be placed next on rotation.
    5. If the individual declines, a new Proposal form will be sent with the next person on the list.
    6. Please allow 24 hours for contact from the individual (with a minimum of three attempts at contact) before requesting a new individual from the rotation list.

Emergency Appointments

  • If it is not feasible to contact the individual prior to filing, please use the name of the Court Visitor provided
  • Should the Court Visitor be unable to accept the case, they must file a declaration of such with the court
  • Parties should email the declaration with a request for a new proposal to GMP