How long can a temporary guardian serve in Alaska?

No more than six months. If necessary, the court may appoint a temporary guardian while the full petition is pending, and Alaska law does not set out a procedure to extend that six-month authority.

Who must receive notice of an Alaska guardianship hearing?

The minor, if 14 years of age or older; whoever had the minor's principal care and custody during the 60 days before the petition was filed; and any living parent. Notice must be given at least 14 days before the hearing, though a person can sign a written waiver of their own notice.

Does a parent's consent matter in an Alaska guardianship case?

Yes. If a parent is alive and no prior order has terminated or suspended that parent's custody rights, the court can appoint a guardian only on a finding that the parent's custody rights are suspended by circumstances. A parent can agree by appearing at the hearing or by signing form PG-615, and an objecting parent makes the case contested.

Does an Alaska guardianship of a minor end a parent's parental rights?

No. Guardianship is a court order over the child's care; it does not terminate parental rights, and a parent may later ask the court to end the guardianship early by filing form PG-190.

Is a bond required for an Alaska guardian of a minor?

No, not for a guardian of the minor's person. A minor's property is instead handled through a separate conservatorship proceeding, which may require the conservator to furnish a bond under a different statute.

What background check or training does an Alaska guardian of a minor need?

None. No criminal background check or guardian training is required for a guardian of a minor's person under Alaska law. The court may still appoint an attorney for the minor if it finds the minor's interests need more representation.

What is the Alaska alternative to filing a guardianship petition?

A parent can sign form PG-700, a Delegation of Powers by Parent or Guardian; it does not require a court filing, and it covers care, custody, or property of the child except the power to consent to marriage, adoption, an abortion for the child, or terminating the parent's rights to the child. It runs for up to one year, or a military parent's active duty plus 30 days.

What if a child is in immediate danger in Alaska?

Contact the child protective agency or law enforcement, and consider the protective order process. A guardianship petition is not an emergency safety intervention by itself.

Is an Alaska guardianship petition the right way to resolve a custody dispute between parents?

No. A dispute between a child's own parents over custody or parenting time is handled through a custody or parenting-plan process, not through a guardianship petition.

Alaska Guardianship of a Minor Petition

Q: What court handles an Alaska guardianship of a minor?

The statewide Superior Court. Alaska has no counties and no separate probate court, so the same trial court hears the petition at whichever judicial district is proper, generally where the child lives, or wherever a Child-in-Need-of-Aid case for that child is already pending.

Q: Is there an official Alaska guardianship of a minor petition form?

Yes. The Petition for Appointment of a Guardian for a Minor, form PG-610, is filed with cover sheet PG-600 for a non-Indian child or PG-601 for an Alaska Native or American Indian child, and the court's form controls.

Alaska has no counties or separate probate court, so the statewide Superior Court hears this on the official PG-610 petition, caps a temporary guardian at six months, and requires no bond, background check, or training for a guardian of a minor's person.

Find out where you stand in Alaska

Where are you with the guardianship?

DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.

Introduction

In Alaska, a relative or other adult asks the Superior Court to appoint them guardian of a minor's person by filing the official Petition for Appointment of a Guardian for a Minor, form PG-610, with cover sheet PG-600 for a non-Indian child or PG-601 for an Alaska Native or American Indian child, whose packet adds tribal notice required under the Indian Child Welfare Act. Alaska has no counties and no separate probate court, so the statewide Superior Court hears the petition at whichever judicial district is proper, generally where the child lives, or wherever a Child-in-Need-of-Aid case is already pending. If necessary, the court may appoint a temporary guardian, whose authority lasts no more than six months. Notice must be given to the minor if 14 or older, whoever had the child's principal care and custody during the preceding 60 days, and any living parent, at least 14 days before the hearing; a parent may consent by appearing at the hearing or by signing form PG-615, and an objecting parent makes the case contested. No bond, background check, or training is required for a guardian of a minor's person, though the court may appoint an attorney for the minor if the minor's interests need more representation. A minor's property is handled through a separate conservatorship petition, not this one. Without going to court, a parent may instead sign form PG-700, a Delegation of Powers by Parent or Guardian. Guardianship does not terminate parental rights, and the court decides based on the child's best interest. Attorney review is available before you file.

Key Things to Know

1
Alaska guardianship of a minor's person is filed as a Petition for Appointment of a Guardian for a Minor, form PG-610, with cover sheet PG-600 for a non-Indian child or PG-601 for an Alaska Native or American Indian child, whose packet adds tribal notice under the Indian Child Welfare Act. Alaska has no counties or separate probate court; the statewide Superior Court hears the petition at whichever judicial district is proper, generally where the child lives, or wherever a Child-in-Need-of-Aid case is already pending (AS 13.26.101; Probate Rules 14 and 15).
2
If necessary, the court may appoint a temporary guardian while the petition is pending. A temporary guardian's authority lasts no more than six months, and the statute does not set out an extension procedure (AS 13.26.147(c)).
3
Notice of the hearing must be given at least 14 days beforehand to the minor if the minor is 14 years of age or older, to whoever had the minor's principal care and custody during the 60 days before the petition was filed, and to any living parent, in the manner AS 13.06.110 prescribes (AS 13.26.147(a)).
4
If a parent is alive and no prior order has terminated or suspended that parent's custody rights, the court can appoint a guardian only on a finding that the parent's rights of custody are suspended by circumstances, meaning the parent cannot provide day-to-day care. A parent can agree by appearing at the hearing or by signing form PG-615, Parent's Consent to Appointment of a Guardian, which can also waive that parent's own notice; an objecting parent makes the case contested (AS 13.26.147; AS 13.26.143).
5
No bond, criminal background check, or guardian training is required for a guardian of a minor's person. At any point in the case the court may appoint an attorney for the minor on a finding that the minor's interests are or may be inadequately represented, considering the minor's preference if the minor is 14 or older (AS 13.26.147(d)).
6
Guardianship does not terminate a parent's parental rights. It ends automatically when the minor dies, is adopted, marries, or turns 18, whichever happens first, or when the guardian dies, resigns with court approval, or is removed; a parent, the guardian, the minor ward, or another interested person can ask the court to end it early by filing form PG-190 (AS 13.26.171).
7
Without going to court, a parent may instead sign form PG-700, a Delegation of Powers by Parent or Guardian, covering care, custody, or property of the child, except the power to consent to the child's marriage, adoption, an abortion for the child, or terminating the parent's rights to the child. It runs for up to one year, or, for a military parent on active duty, the length of that duty plus 30 days (AS 13.26.066).

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Guardianship of a Minor Petition in Alaska, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Guardianship of a Minor Petition guide walks through them.

Open the Guardianship of a Minor Petition guide

Customize your Guardianship of a Minor Petition Template with DocDraft

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF ALASKA [JUDICIAL DISTRICT] AT [LOCATION]

IN THE MATTER OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF [CHILD'S FULL NAME], A MINOR

Case No. [CASE NUMBER]

PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF A GUARDIAN FOR A MINOR

This petition is filed on the official form PG-610, and the court's form controls.

PETITIONER [PETITIONER NAME], residing at [PETITIONER ADDRESS], is the minor's [RELATIONSHIP TO THE MINOR, FOR EXAMPLE GRANDPARENT, ADULT SIBLING, OR OTHER ADULT]. Petitioner asks the court to appoint petitioner guardian of the person of the minor named below.
THE MINOR [CHILD'S FULL NAME], born [DATE OF BIRTH], currently resides at [CHILD'S CURRENT ADDRESS]. The minor is [AGE] years old. [STATEMENT OF WHETHER THE MINOR IS AN ALASKA NATIVE OR AMERICAN INDIAN CHILD]. For an Alaska Native or American Indian child, this petition is filed with cover sheet PG-601 and the additional tribal notice the Indian Child Welfare Act requires.
PARENTS The minor's parents are [MOTHER'S FULL NAME], residing at [MOTHER'S ADDRESS OR LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS], and [FATHER'S FULL NAME], residing at [FATHER'S ADDRESS OR LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS]. [DESCRIPTION OF WHETHER EACH PARENT IS LIVING, WHETHER EITHER PARENT'S CUSTODY RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TERMINATED OR SUSPENDED BY A PRIOR COURT ORDER, AND WHETHER EITHER PARENT CONSENTS TO THIS APPOINTMENT OR HAS SIGNED FORM PG-615].
PRINCIPAL CARE AND CUSTODY The person who has had the minor's principal care and custody during the 60 days before this petition was filed is [NAME AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE MINOR].
NECESSITY FOR GUARDIANSHIP Appointment of a guardian is necessary because [DESCRIPTION OF WHY THE PARENTS CANNOT PROVIDE DAY-TO-DAY CARE AND WHY THEIR CUSTODY RIGHTS ARE SUSPENDED BY CIRCUMSTANCES]. [DESCRIPTION OF ANY REQUEST FOR A TEMPORARY GUARDIAN WHILE THIS PETITION IS PENDING AND THE URGENT CIRCUMSTANCE SUPPORTING IT]. Petitioner understands a temporary guardian's authority lasts no more than six months.
QUALIFICATIONS OF PETITIONER [DESCRIPTION OF PETITIONER'S RELATIONSHIP TO AND HISTORY WITH THE MINOR, AND ANY FACTS SHOWING PETITIONER IS SUITABLE TO SERVE AS GUARDIAN OF THE MINOR'S PERSON].
MINOR'S NOMINATION [NAME OF ANY PERSON THE MINOR, IF 14 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, NOMINATES TO SERVE AS GUARDIAN].
BOND Alaska law does not require a bond for a guardian of a minor's person. A separate conservatorship proceeding for the minor's property may require the conservator to furnish bond under a different statute.
NOTICE Petitioner will give notice of the hearing at least 14 days beforehand to the minor if 14 or older, to the person who has had the minor's principal care and custody during the preceding 60 days, and to any living parent, using form PG-620 for a non-Indian child or form PG-621 for an Alaska Native or American Indian child.
RELIEF REQUESTED Petitioner asks the court to appoint petitioner guardian of the person of the named minor, to act on any request for a temporary guardian stated above, and to grant such other relief as the court deems proper.

VERIFICATION

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Alaska that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

[SIGNATURE] [PETITIONER NAME] [ADDRESS] [CITY, ALASKA ZIP] [PHONE] [EMAIL]

Dated: [DATE]

Alaska Requirements for Guardianship of a Minor Petition

Statewide Superior Court Hears Every Petition
Alaska has no counties and no separate probate court, so the statewide Superior Court hears a minor guardianship petition at whichever judicial district is proper, generally where the child lives, or wherever a pending Child-in-Need-of-Aid case is located (AS 13.26.101).
Official PG-610 Petition, Court's Form Controls
The Petition for Appointment of a Guardian for a Minor, form PG-610, is the mandatory statewide petition; the court's form controls over any other draft.
Dual ICWA and Non-ICWA Petition Packets
Alaska runs two parallel form packets for the same proceeding: PG-600/605/610/615/620 for a non-Indian child, and PG-601/606/610/615/621/622/623 for an Alaska Native or American Indian child, the latter adding tribal notice and a certified-mail certificate of service.
Six-Month Cap on Temporary Guardianship
A temporary guardian the court appoints while the petition is pending has authority for no more than six months, with no statutory extension procedure (AS 13.26.147(c)).
Fourteen-Day Notice to Named Recipients
Notice of the hearing must be given at least 14 days beforehand to the minor if 14 or older, to whoever had the minor's principal care and custody during the preceding 60 days, and to any living parent (AS 13.26.147(a)).
Suspended-Custody Finding Required
Absent a prior order terminating or suspending a parent's custody rights, the court can appoint a guardian only on a finding that the parent's custody rights are suspended by circumstances. A parent can agree by appearing at the hearing or by signing form PG-615 (AS 13.26.147; AS 13.26.143).
No Bond, Background Check, or Training for Guardian of the Person
Alaska imposes no bond, criminal background check, or guardian training requirement for a guardian of a minor's person; a court visitor, an expert evaluation, and 1-hour guardian training apply only to Alaska's separate adult guardianship track.
Guardianship Covers Only the Minor's Person
A minor guardianship petition under AS 13.26.101-.186 reaches only the minor's person; managing the minor's property requires a separate conservatorship petition under AS 13.26.401 et seq.
Delegation of Powers Alternative Capped at One Year
Without going to court, a parent may sign form PG-700, a Delegation of Powers by Parent or Guardian, for up to one year, or for a military parent on active duty, the length of that duty plus 30 days (AS 13.26.066).

Find out where you stand in Alaska

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Guardianship of a Minor Petition Template with DocDraft

Alaska Requirements for Guardianship of a Minor Petition

Statewide Superior Court Hears Every Petition

Official PG-610 Petition, Court's Form Controls

Dual ICWA and Non-ICWA Petition Packets

Six-Month Cap on Temporary Guardianship

Fourteen-Day Notice to Named Recipients

Suspended-Custody Finding Required

No Bond, Background Check, or Training for Guardian of the Person

Guardianship Covers Only the Minor's Person

Delegation of Powers Alternative Capped at One Year

Frequently Asked Questions