41. How do I file for Legal Guardianship of a child?

Pursuant to Section 4 of the Children (Guardianship and Custody) Act

  1.   The father of a child may by deed or will appoint any person to be guardian of the child after his death.
  2.   The mother of a child may by deed or will appoint any person to be guardian of the child after her death.
  3.   Any guardian so appointed shall act jointly with the mother or father, as the case may be, of the child so long        as the mother or father remains alive unless the mother or father objects to his so acting.
  4. .If the mother or father so objects, or if the guardian so appointed as aforesaid considers that the mother or father is unfit to have the custody of the child, the guardian may apply to the Court, and the Court may either refuse to make any order (in which case the mother or father shall remain sole guardian) or make an order that the guardian so appointed shall act jointly with the mother or father, or that he shall be sole guardian of the child, and in the latter case may make such order regarding the custody of the child and the right of access thereto of its mother or father as, having regard to the welfare of the child the Court may think fit, and may further order that the mother or father shall pay to the guardian towards the maintenance of the child such weekly or other periodical sum as, having regard to the means of the mother or father, the Court may consider reasonable.
  5. Where guardians are appointed by both parents, the guardians so appointed shall after the death of the surviving parent act jointly.
  6. If under section 3 a guardian has been appointed by the Court to act jointly with the surviving parent, he shall continue to act as guardian after the death of the surviving parent; but if the surviving parent has appointed a guardian, the guardian appointed by the Court shall act jointly with the guardian appointed by the surviving parent.

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