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Polk County Guardianship Attorneys

Trust our Polk County guardianship attorneys to help you navigate the complexities of guardianship cases and put your case as a high priority so you can focus on what really matters.
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Smiling womanAttorney Kevin O'Flaherty

"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"

How can our Polk County Guardianship Attorneys help you?

Top 3 Qualities to look for in Your Attorney

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We believe your attorney should not speak in legalese

Finding an attorney who is a “real person” can be difficult. Many attorneys surround themselves almost exclusively with other attorneys and are accustomed to speaking in ivory tower legalese.  You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and he or she should speak to you in plain language that you can understand.  You will be working very closely with this person on issues that are very important to you. It is important that he or she be down-to-earth and someone that you connect with.

We believe your attorney should be accessible

The most common complaint that clients have of their attorneys is that the attorney is unreachable, does not communicate with them regularly, or does not promptly return your calls.  Your attorney should reach out to you about your case regularly and respond within 24 hours to calls and e-mails.  An open line of communication between you and your attorney is essential to building trust.

Learn how we service your area through our Remote Location Approach.

We believe your attorney should be realistic with you about costs and outcomes

Your attorney’s goal should not be to win at all costs.  Rather, it should be to achieve a favorable outcome for you as efficiently as possible.  It is important that your attorney set realistic expectations at the outset as to the costs you should expect, the concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.

Regardless of the nature of your case, we have an experienced attorney who will focus on your individual needs. Our team of attorneys works closely together, bringing each of their different fields of experience to bear in order to optimize our client care.

Client Testimonials

Christi M.

Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.

Marvin

"I've used Kevin and his firm's services since 2011. He gave undivided attention to my cases, advised me on different options and..."

Rachel B.

"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"

About Polk County Guardianship Attorneys:

We are Experienced and Great at What We Do!  Our Polk County guardianship attorneys have the skill, experience, and dedication to educate you on your options and create the best plan for you and your family.  In 2015 Kevin O'Flaherty was honored to be named one of Suburban Life Magazine's Best Under 40.  In 2016, we received Avvo Clients' Choice Award for Estate Planning.   Kevin is a founder and proud member of Main Street Senior Resources. This is a group of professionals who collaborate to provide superior and comprehensive service to seniors.  We look forward to bringing our experience to bear in order to help you and your loved ones.  

We are Efficient and Cost-Effective!  We're proud of our affordable rates that allow us to build relationships with more clients.  We invite the comparison to other Polk County  guardianship attorneys and would like to hear about it if you can find a more affordable solution to your family's planning needs. 

We Go Above and Beyond For You and Your Family! Our Polk County  guardianship attorneys are accessible to our clients and provide prompt communication regarding developments in your case. We consider ourselves educators, allowing you to make informed decisions with an understanding of all of your options. Many of our clients have been so "amazed" by our above-and-beyond service that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to leave us glowing reviews.


Expertise Best Child Support Lawyers in Chicago 201710 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law AttorneysAvvo Clients' Choice 2016 DivorceRising Stars Kevin P. O'Flaherty SuperLawyers.com10 Best Law Firms 2018 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Legal Counsel Attorneys Estate Planning Law40 under forty

What to Expect From a Legal Consultation

The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.

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Location

Office Address

2716 Grand Ave., Ste. 2

Des Moines, IA 50312

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Hours of Operation

Monday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Attorneys

Meet the Owner

I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team.  Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys.  Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us.  They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates.  We are here to help!

- Attorney Kevin O'Flaherty, Owner

Check Out Articles and Videos from our Polk County Guardianship Attorneys

Changes in Iowa Adult Guardianship Laws

In this video, our Polk County guardianship attorneys explain the new laws and the procedure for how adult guardianships in Iowa begin. The changes included:

  • A Completed Background Check - The court is required to perform a statewide background check, looking for any past offenses under the child abuse registry, dependent adult abuse registry, and sex offender registry.
  • Right To An Attorney - Respondents (previously referred to as the proposed ward) always have the right to an attorney, unless the respondent is also the petitioner, in which case an attorney should not be necessary. The state will provide an attorney if one cannot be afforded, and it is the attorney’s responsibility to advise the respondent and operate within the respondent’s best wishes.
  • Professional Evaluation of the Respondent or Protected Person - Before an order to begin, change, or end a guardianship can be handed down a professional evaluation must be ordered by the court and completed by the appropriate professional.
  • Court Hearing - Before a guardianship can begin, be modified, or terminated an in-person court hearing in front of a judge must take place. During this hearing, appropriate parties can present evidence and argue for or against the guardianship, modification, or termination.

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Updates to Iowa's Guardianship Laws for Minors

In this video, our Polk County Guardianship attorneys explain how for decades, minor guardianship proceedings have been governed by Iowa’s Probate Act. Beginning January 1, 2020, new law went into effect for guardianships. The new law is the “Iowa Minor Guardianship Proceedings Act.” This law imposes significantly more regulations and requirements for people seeking to become guardians of minors. It also offers additional protections for biological parents, proposed guardians and, most importantly, children.

The single largest change is that minor guardianship cases will now be heard in juvenile courts instead of probate courts, where they were previously held. The law also makes significant changes to the filing, hearing and administrative process for guardianships.  


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Iowa Court Appointed Guardians

In this video, our Polk County guardianship attorneys explain court appointed guardians for minors and adults. A court-appointed guardian is an individual who has been granted legal authority by an Iowa court to care for and take responsibility for another individual who is unable to legally take care of herself and make decisions or is incapacitated and unable to care for herself and make decisions. The court must determine that the potential nonparent guardian will act in the best interest of the ward.

The responsibilities of a court-appointed guardian in Iowa vary depending on those assigned by the court. Iowa tends to err on the side of limiting a guardian’s powers to only those absolutely necessary. The powers that a guardian has in Iowa ultimately fall into two categories:

  1. Decisions, responsibilities, and actions that can be taken without prior approval by the courts; and
  2. Decisions, responsibilities, and actions that require prior approval by the courts.

An example of actions that usually don’t require prior court approval includes: providing a comfortable, caring and nurturing environment for the ward, taking reasonable care of the ward’s clothing, home, furnishings, etc, assisting the ward in receiving medical care, personal counseling, treatment, etc. All these things are the normal day-to-day activities that if required court approval before doing would make the guardian process extremely cumbersome.


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