Kansas Guardianship Forms: 2026 Judicial Council Forms and Where to Find Them

Where Kansas Legal Forms Actually Come From

If you search for "Kansas guardianship forms" or "free power of attorney forms Kansas," you'll find dozens of websites offering downloads — LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer, US Legal Forms, and a long list of template mills. Most of them charge subscription fees for forms that may not reflect the 2026 Kansas guardianship law changes.

The official source is the Kansas Judicial Council at kjc.ks.gov. The Judicial Council develops and maintains the standard legal forms used in Kansas district courts, and they updated the entire guardianship and conservatorship form set when KUGCOPAA took effect on January 1, 2026.

These forms are free. They're the same forms Kansas attorneys use. The only thing they don't come with is instructions — the Judicial Council explicitly states that court staff cannot help you fill them out or explain legal requirements.

The 2026 Guardianship and Conservatorship Form Set

When KUGCOPAA replaced the old guardianship statutes, the Judicial Council released new forms that reflect the updated requirements. Here's what you need and when:

To file the petition:

• Petition for Guardianship or Protective Arrangement of an Adult — the main filing document. Names the proposed guardian, describes the adult's condition, and states why guardianship is necessary.
• Report of Examination and Evaluation (K.S.A. 59-3064) — mandatory clinical evaluation completed by a licensed physician, psychologist, or social worker who has personally examined the adult. Must detail cognitive abilities, functional limitations, prognosis, and whether the adult can safely participate in court proceedings.
• Adult Guardianship/Conservatorship Plan and Motion to Approve — new in 2026. The court won't appoint a guardian without an approved care plan filed at the start of the case. The plan must outline how the guardian will encourage the adult to participate in decisions, maintain social relationships, and meet specific care goals.

After the hearing:

• Oath of Guardian or Oath of Conservator — sworn oath filed immediately after appointment to receive Letters of Authority.
• Report of the Guardian of the Adult Subject to Guardianship — annual filing that updates the court on the adult's physical condition, medical care, and residential placement.
• Conservatorship Inventory — detailed list of all estate assets, due within 30 days of appointment.
• Annual Accounting — yearly financial report detailing all income, expenditures, and investment activity in the estate.

Power of Attorney Forms: Statutory vs. Custom

Kansas provides statutory forms for two types of power of attorney:

Healthcare POA (K.S.A. 58-632): The statutory form is published directly in the statute text at ksrevisor.gov. It's a fill-in-the-blank format that meets all legal requirements for a healthcare power of attorney, including signing blocks for both notary and witness execution options.

Financial POA: The Kansas Power of Attorney Act (K.S.A. 58-650 to 58-665) sets out the legal requirements — written, signed, dated, notarized, with explicit durability language — and the Kansas Judicial Council publishes a free General Durable Power of Attorney form. A custom document may also be used if it satisfies the statutory requirements.

Whether you use the Judicial Council form or another "free Kansas POA form" found online, check it carefully. Some include durability clauses. Some don't. Some explicitly authorize "hot powers" like making gifts or changing beneficiaries (K.S.A. 58-652 requires these to be specifically enumerated). Others grant vague "general authority" that may not hold up when you actually try to use it.

Filing Fees and Where to File

Guardianship and conservatorship petitions are filed in the probate department of the district court in the county where the adult resides, is physically located, or owns real property. Filing fees vary by county:

• Sedgwick County (Wichita): $93.50
• Leavenworth County: $91.50
• Cowley County: $91.50 ($69.50 docket fee + $22.00 surcharge)

Additional costs include publication fees for legal notice, sheriff service fees for personal service on the adult, and the court-appointed attorney's fees. Payment methods and local filing requirements vary — call the clerk's office to confirm before filing.

The Gap Between Free Forms and Knowing What to Do With Them

The forms are free. The instructions are not. The Judicial Council provides no guidance on which document to file first, how to fill in the clinical evaluation sections, what the mandatory care plan should include, or how the 2026 substituted judgment standard changes what courts expect from guardians.

The Kansas Power of Attorney & Guardianship Kit pairs every required form with step-by-step instructions — which fields to complete, what the court expects to see, what to prepare before the hearing, and how to avoid the most common filing mistakes that delay or derail guardianship petitions.

See more Kansas guides →