To terminate a guardianship in Michigan, whether the ward is a minor or an adult, you file a Petition to Terminate/Modify Guardianship in the probate court that established the guardianship, serve every interested party, and convince a judge at a hearing that the legal grounds for ending the arrangement are met. A handful of events end a guardianship on their own, but in every other situation the court order is what actually closes the case.
When You Don’t Need to File Anything
A minor’s guardianship ends automatically when the minor turns 18, gets married, is adopted, or dies.1Wayne County Probate Court. Michigan Court Rule MCR 5.404 – Guardianship of Minor For an incapacitated adult, the guardian’s authority ends automatically if the guardian or the ward dies, or if the guardian is themselves determined to be incapacitated.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5308 – Termination of Guardians Authority and Responsibility
Outside those events, a Michigan guardianship does not simply lapse because the original reason for it no longer exists. You have to ask the court to end it.
Who Can Petition
For a minor’s guardianship, the right to petition belongs to the parents. In a limited guardianship, the parents (or the sole parent with custody rights) file. If the guardianship was established under section 5204 of the Estates and Protected Individuals Code, either parent may petition.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5208 – Petition to Terminate Guardianship of Minor
The circle is wider for an adult guardianship. The ward, anyone named as guardian in a parent’s or spouse’s will, or any person interested in the ward’s welfare can petition to terminate or modify the arrangement. The ward doesn’t even have to submit a formal petition: an informal letter to the court or judge is enough to trigger the process.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5310 – Resignation or Removal of Guardian
Grounds the Judge Will Consider
Ending a Minor’s Guardianship
If the guardianship is limited, the court must end it when the parent has substantially complied with the limited guardianship placement plan. The statute uses “shall,” so the judge has no discretion once compliance is shown.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5209 – Limited Guardianship Placement Plan The court can also allow a transition period of up to six months to reintegrate the child into the parent’s home before the guardianship formally ends.
For a full guardianship, or a limited guardianship where the placement plan wasn’t followed, the standard shifts to the child’s best interests. The court may order state agencies to supervise the transition or provide services to the family.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5209 – Limited Guardianship Placement Plan
Ending an Adult Guardianship
An adult guardianship can be terminated when the ward regains the ability to manage their own affairs. Medical evidence carries the case here: a physician’s evaluation or psychological assessment showing the person can make informed decisions about health, living situation, and finances. The court may also find the ward has enough decision-making support through family, social workers, or other resources that a guardian is no longer necessary.
The guardian can also resign, but resignation requires filing and court approval of a final report under section 5314 of the Estates and Protected Individuals Code.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5310 – Resignation or Removal of Guardian Walking away without that step leaves the guardian legally responsible. Interested parties can also petition to remove a guardian for cause, and the court can appoint a successor.
Once a petition to terminate an adult guardianship is filed, the court must schedule a hearing within 28 days.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5310 – Resignation or Removal of Guardian
Filing the Petition
Use the Petition to Terminate/Modify Guardianship, Form PC 675, from the Michigan Courts website.6Michigan Courts. Petition to Terminate/Modify Guardianship PC 675 Courts will not accept a self-drafted document in its place.
The petition asks for:
- The probate court case number assigned when the guardianship was originally established.
- Names and addresses of all interested persons: the petitioner, the ward, the current guardian, and, for a minor, the child’s parents. If a parent is incarcerated in a Michigan Department of Corrections facility, include their name, address, and prisoner number.
- A clear statement of reasons tied to the legal grounds that apply, such as compliance with the placement plan, restored capacity, or changed circumstances.
File the completed petition with the probate court in the county where the guardianship was established. The filing fee for a subsequent petition in an existing case is $20. If the ward files, there is no fee.7Michigan Courts. Probate Court Fee Tables February 2025 Anyone else who cannot afford the $20 can submit a Fee Waiver Request, Form MC 20, with the petition.8Michigan Courts. Form MC 20 Fee Waiver Request
Serving Notice on Interested Parties
Once the court accepts the petition and sets a hearing date, you send a copy of the petition and a Notice of Hearing (Form PC 562) to every interested party: the ward, the guardian, parents of a minor ward, and anyone else the court identifies.
Michigan probate rules give you two options. Personal delivery requires at least 7 days’ notice before the hearing. First-class mail requires at least 14 days. Pick the method that fits the schedule.
After serving everyone, complete a Proof of Service, Form PC 564, and file it with the court.9Michigan Courts. Proof of Service PC 564 Without a filed Proof of Service, the court will typically postpone the hearing.
The Hearing
The petitioner, the guardian, and the ward (when appropriate) should all attend. The judge hears testimony and reviews the documentary evidence.
What counts as strong evidence depends on the type of guardianship. For an adult ward seeking to show restored capacity, a current medical evaluation is the most persuasive document you can bring. A letter from the treating physician addressing current cognitive abilities, medication management, and daily functioning carries real weight. For a minor’s guardianship, evidence that a parent has stabilized (steady housing, employment, completion of court-ordered programs) supports termination.
Court-Appointed Visitors and Guardians Ad Litem
The court can appoint a guardian ad litem or attorney to represent a minor ward’s interests during the termination process.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5208 – Petition to Terminate Guardianship of Minor In an adult case, the court may send a visitor to the guardian’s residence and to wherever the ward lives to observe and report back in writing.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5310 – Resignation or Removal of Guardian These visitors are officers of the court, and their reports can heavily influence the outcome.
Possible Outcomes
After the evidence, the judge can:
- Grant termination, so the guardianship ends and the ward or parent resumes full decision-making authority.
- Deny the petition and leave the guardianship in place.
- Modify the guardianship by narrowing the guardian’s powers or adding conditions.
- Order a transition period of up to six months for a minor before the guardianship formally ends.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5209 – Limited Guardianship Placement Plan
After the Order Is Signed
Rights Restored to an Adult Ward
When an adult guardianship is terminated, the former ward regains the rights the guardian held. Depending on the scope of the original order, that can include the right to make medical decisions, choose a residence, manage finances, enter into contracts, and vote. A limited guardianship that covered only medical decisions means only those decision-making rights come back.
The Guardian’s Final Report
A guardian’s duties don’t end the moment the judge signs the order. Michigan law ties a guardian’s resignation to the filing and approval of a final report under section 5314 of the Estates and Protected Individuals Code.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 700.5310 – Resignation or Removal of Guardian Even in a court-ordered termination, the judge can require the guardian to account for property or funds managed during the guardianship. A guardian who handled the ward’s finances should be ready to produce records of income received, expenses paid, and the current status of any assets.
Social Security and Representative Payees
If the ward received Social Security benefits through a representative payee, terminating the guardianship does not automatically change the payee designation. The Social Security Administration runs its own capability determination. Contact SSA directly to request a reassessment so payments can be redirected to the former ward.10Social Security Administration. Termination of Organizational or Individual Representative Payees Serving Multiple Beneficiaries Until SSA acts, the benefits keep going to the payee.