Floyd circuit judge to join statewide task force to revise codes for guardianship cases

Indiana's Guardianship Code Revision Task Force will seek to ensure guardianship cases are as easy as possible to navigate.

by Norman Seawright

NEW ALBANY, Ind. —  Indiana’s governor is creating a new task force to revise the state’s codes for cases involving court-appointed guardians for children and adults.

A southern Indiana judge has been chosen for the job, and Floyd Circuit Court Judge Justin Brown said the work is personal.

“My mother has been, you know, she got diagnosed with dementia at 55. So she's been under that, and it's progressed Alzheimer's. So she's one of those people that's in a situation that I would be there to try to help the family with,” Brown said.

Brown said guardianship cases can be traumatic and intimidating to navigate.

“Guardianship cases are inherently traumatic for a lot of people. I mean, think about—you're taking away someone's fundamental right to govern themselves, their own body, because they lack the ability, whether it be from mental condition, from infirmity or from age, when you're talking about a child,” Brown said.

Katie Morgan, executive director of Vulnerable Adult Care Advocates, said a statewide approach is needed.

“I am thrilled to see that we are going to have a statewide task force because uniformity is definitely needed,” Morgan said. “I think it's going to help us, and it will help more of the state be more mission-driven toward guardianship and making sure that people are cared for."

Lauren Broderick, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates, said the work matters for children, too.

“The state is recognizing some of the gaps or things that need to be improved upon, or streamlining services for children who have open child welfare cases. And addressing guardianship is all part of that,” Broderick said.

Brown said he wants the process to be less intimidating and ultimately better-suited to serving Hoosiers.

“If you can take away some of that trauma from them, it makes them it makes people more likely to step up to say, 'hey, I've got you,'” Brown said.

The task force was created by a bill Gov. Mike Braun signed into law in March. It passed with bipartisan support in both chambers.

Brown’s term begins in July and runs through December 2027. 

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Floyd circuit judge to join statewide task force to revise codes for guardianship cases