What defines a legal guardian?
A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority and corresponding duty to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Usually, a person has the status of guardian because the ward is incapable of caring for his or her own interests due to infancy, incapacity, or disability.
Most countries and states have laws that provide that the parents of a minor child are the legal guardians of that child, and that the parents can designate who shall become the child’s legal guardian in the event of death.
A legal guardianship is obtained through court order, and the legal process for doing so is initiated by the prospective guardian.
Please note: An older sibling, older friend or friend of the family does not automatically count as a legal guardian. A legal guardian is someone who would be held legally responsible for you by a court of law. Generally, a legal guardian is the one who takes care of the minor when the minor’s birth-parents are no longer living, in jail or have lost their legal rights.