Wash. Rev. Code » Title 13 · Chapter 13.36
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) If the court has made the findings required under RCW 13.36.040, the court shall issue an order establishing a guardianship for the child. If the guardian has not previously intervened, the guardian shall be made a party to the guardianship proceeding upon entry of the guardianship order. The order shall:
(a) Appoint a person to be the guardian for the child;
(b) Specify the guardian's rights and responsibilities concerning the care, custody, control, and nurturing of the child;
(c) Specify the guardian's authority, if any, to receive, invest, and expend funds, benefits, or property belonging to the child;
(d) Specify an appropriate frequency and type of contact between the parent or parents and the child, if applicable, and between the child and his or her siblings, if applicable; and
(e) Specify the need for and scope of continued oversight by the court, if any.
(2) The guardian shall maintain physical and legal custody of the child and have the following rights and duties under the guardianship:
(a) Duty to protect, nurture, discipline, and educate the child;
(b) Duty to provide food, clothing, shelter, education as required by law, and health care for the child, including but not limited to, medical, dental, mental health, psychological, and psychiatric care and treatment;
(c) Right to consent to health care for the child and sign a release authorizing the sharing of health care information with appropriate authorities, in accordance with state law;
(d) Right to consent to the child's participation in social and school activities; and
(e) Duty to notify the court of a change of address of the guardian and the child. Unless specifically ordered by the court, however, the standards and requirements for relocation in chapter 26.09 RCW do not apply to guardianships established under this chapter.
(3) If the child has independent funds or other valuable property under the control of the guardian, the guardian shall provide an annual written accounting, supported with appropriate documentation, to the court regarding receipt and expenditure by the guardian of any such funds or benefits. This subsection shall not be construed to require a guardian to account for any routine funds or benefits received from a public social service agency on behalf of the child.
(4) The guardianship shall remain in effect until the child reaches the age of eighteen years or until the court terminates the guardianship, whichever occurs sooner.
(5) Once the dependency has been dismissed pursuant to RCW 13.36.070, the court shall not order the department or other supervising agency to supervise or provide case management services to the guardian or the child as part of the guardianship order.
(6) The court shall issue a letter of guardianship to the guardian upon the entry of the court order establishing the guardianship under this chapter.
[ 2010 c 272 s 5.]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2013–2025 · leading case: Dep't of Soc. & Health Servs. v. T.P., 182 Wash. 2d 689 (Wash. 2015).
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Dep't of Soc. & Health Servs. v. T.P., 182 Wash. 2d 689 (Wash. 2015). · cites it 7× “n the child’s best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than to terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
In re the Guardianship of D.S., 317 P.3d 489 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 3× “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In Re The Dependency Of: N.B.G., 551 P.3d 1045 (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “040(2)(b), where the court may establish a guardianship by stipulation if “the proposed guardian is qualified, appropriate, and capable of performing the duties of a guardian under RCW 13.36.050.” Wash. Ct. of Appeals oral argument, In the Matter of the Dependency of N.”
In re Welfare of A.W. (Wash. 2015). · cites it 8× “s in the child's best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
In re the Guardianship of: P.M. (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “See RCW 13.36.050(1)-(2). Accordingly, since the guardianship orders comply with all of the statutory requirements and are well-grounded in fact, the guardianship orders are very tenable.”
In Re The Dependency Of: C.l.m. Latae Maria Mitchell, App. v. State Of Wa., Dshs, Res. (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “" But Mitchell and Madden provide no evidence that the services and oversight available through DSHS would be available to the Meridas under RCW 13.36.050(1). Mitchell and Madden point to the testimony of their independent child welfare consultant Sonja Ulrich, who conducted a…”
In re the Dependency Of D.S. (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 3× “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In Re The Welfare Of: J.b., Jr. (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “47918-4-II) interest, it must also determine either “the proposed guardian is qualified, appropriate, and capable of performing the duties of guardian under RCW 13.36.050” or “[t]he proposed guardian has signed a statement acknowledging the guardian’s rights and responsibilities…”
In Re The Termination Of: M. H. W. P. (Wash. Ct. App. 2018). “RCW 13.36.050." She contends this fact undermines the court's finding that termination was necessary to achieve certainty for M.”
In Re The Dependency Of: N.b.g. (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “040(2)(b), where the court may establish a guardianship by stipulation if “the proposed guardian is qualified, appropriate, and capable of performing the duties of a guardian under RCW 13.36.050.” Wash. Ct. of Appeals oral argument, In the Matter of the Dependency of N.”
Jada Price & Asa Harris, V. State Of Washington (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “Compare RCW 13.36.050(5) with former RCW 13.34.232(4) (1994).”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(1) — 2 cases
In re the Guardianship of: P.M. (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “See RCW 13.36.050(1)-(2). Accordingly, since the guardianship orders comply with all of the statutory requirements and are well-grounded in fact, the guardianship orders are very tenable.”
In Re The Dependency Of: C.l.m. Latae Maria Mitchell, App. v. State Of Wa., Dshs, Res. (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). “" But Mitchell and Madden provide no evidence that the services and oversight available through DSHS would be available to the Meridas under RCW 13.36.050(1). Mitchell and Madden point to the testimony of their independent child welfare consultant Sonja Ulrich, who conducted a…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(1)(b) — 1 case
In Re The Dependency Of: C.l.m. Latae Maria Mitchell, App. v. State Of Wa., Dshs, Res. (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). “" But Mitchell and Madden provide no evidence that the services and oversight available through DSHS would be available to the Meridas under RCW 13.36.050(1). Mitchell and Madden point to the testimony of their independent child welfare consultant Sonja Ulrich, who conducted a…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(1)(c) — 1 case
In re Welfare of A.W. (Wash. 2015). “s in the child's best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(2) — 2 cases
In re the Guardianship of D.S., 317 P.3d 489 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In re the Dependency Of D.S. (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(2)(a) — 3 cases
In re the Guardianship of D.S., 317 P.3d 489 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In re the Dependency Of D.S. (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In re Welfare of A.W. (Wash. 2015). “s in the child's best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(5) — 3 cases
Dep't of Soc. & Health Servs. v. T.P., 182 Wash. 2d 689 (Wash. 2015). “n the child’s best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than to terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
In re Welfare of A.W. (Wash. 2015). “s in the child's best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
Jada Price & Asa Harris, V. State Of Washington (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “Compare RCW 13.36.050(5) with former RCW 13.34.232(4) (1994).”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(l)(c) — 1 case
Dep't of Soc. & Health Servs. v. T.P., 182 Wash. 2d 689 (Wash. 2015). “n the child’s best interests to establish a guardianship, rather than to terminate the parent-child relationship and proceed with adoption, or to continue efforts to return custody of the child to the parent; and (b) All parties agree to entry of the guardianship order and the…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 13.36.050(l)(d) — 3 cases
In re the Guardianship of D.S., 317 P.3d 489 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
In re the Guardianship of: P.M. (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “See RCW 13.36.050(1)-(2). Accordingly, since the guardianship orders comply with all of the statutory requirements and are well-grounded in fact, the guardianship orders are very tenable.”
In re the Dependency Of D.S. (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “RCW 13.36.050(2). Also, a guardian has the right to give consent for the child in health care and educational matters, as well as the duty to protect, feed, clothe, nurture, discipline, and educate the child.”
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