Short answer. It must show, so far as known to the petitioner, the jurisdictional facts, the incompetency making appointment necessary, the names, ages and residences of relatives and caretakers, the estate's probable value and character, and the proposed guardian's name — and no defect in the petition or its verification voids the letters later issued.
What the law says
A petition for the appointment of a general guardian must show, so far as known to the petitioner: (a) The jurisdictional facts; (b) The minority or incompetency rendering the appointment necessary or convenient; (c) The names, ages, and residences of the relatives of the minor or incompetent, and of the persons having him in their care; (d) The probable value and character of his estate; (e) The name of the person for whom letters of guardianship are prayed.
Rule 93, Section 2 — Contents of petition. Read the full provision →
The five required disclosures
A petition for a general guardian must show the jurisdictional facts, the minority or incompetency that makes an appointment necessary or convenient, the names, ages, and residences of the relatives of the minor or incompetent, and of the persons having him in their care, the probable value and character of the estate, and the name of the person proposed to serve as guardian.
"So far as known to the petitioner"
That qualifying phrase, appearing right before the list, tempers the requirement: the petitioner is not expected to have perfect or exhaustive information about every relative or the estate's exact value, only to disclose what is actually known at the time of filing. This makes practical sense — a relative filing for guardianship over an incompetent family member may genuinely not know the whereabouts of every cousin or the precise appraisal of every asset, and the rule does not condition the petition's validity on information the petitioner has no realistic way of obtaining.
Verification, and a built-in forgiveness clause
The petition must be verified, but the rule adds that no defect in the petition or verification shall render void the issuance of letters of guardianship. A technical flaw in the pleading or its verification is not, by itself, a ground to later undo an appointment already made. This protects the guardian's authority, and the interests of the incompetent person, from being collaterally attacked years afterward simply because the original petition or its verification had some procedural imperfection that nobody raised at the time the guardian was appointed.
Scope given the 2003 carve-out for minors
Because the 2003 Rule on Guardianship of Minors now governs petitions involving minor wards, this section as written applies to petitions for the guardianship of adult incompetents; a petition concerning a minor follows the separate 2003 procedure instead. For an incompetent relative — someone whose age is not the issue, but whose mental condition, disability, or similar incapacity is — Rule 93's requirements described above remain the operative checklist for what the petition must show.
Related provisions
- Rule 93, Section 2 — Contents of petition
- Rule 93, Section 1 — Who may petition for appointment of guardian for resident
- Rule 93, Section 3 — Court to set time for hearing; Notice thereof