Annual Review; Order to Show Cause; Petition for Appointment of a Successor Guardian
CASE NUMBER: CVPG18-0029719 This matter is on calendar for further proceedings on the Annual Review and Order to Show Cause issued to the Guardian for failure to file the Confidential Guardianship Status Reports and failure to appear on March 2, 2026. The Confidential Status Reports have not been submitted. No response to the Order to Show Cause has been filed.
This matter is also on calendar for hearing on a Petition for Appointment of a Successor Guardian of the Persons and Estate. The Petition was filed by the minors’ non-relative care providers, Jacob and Vania Wright. Letters of Temporary Guardianship as to the person only were issued on May 15, 2026, and are set to expire today unless further extended. The current Guardian is Deseriee Goodman.
The father has been personally served. There is no valid proof of service of the Notice of Hearing and Petition on the minors, Guardian, mother, maternal grandparents, or paternal grandparents. Insufficient information has been provided to permit the Court to dispense with notice to these parties. The proof of service by mail for the Guardian and mother filed on May 14, 2026, is insufficient. The minors, Guardian, and mother must be personally served in order to move forward on the Petition. Prob. Code § 1511(b). All other parties may be served by mail. Prob. Code § 1511(c). Alternatively, the above parties can sign a consent and waiver of notice (GC-211, section 4), in lieu of being served.
The Court notes Probate Code Section 2670 provides that a successor guardian may be appointed, “[w]hen for any reason a vacancy occurs in the office of guardian.” There is no vacancy in the office of guardian and a Petition to Remove Guardian has not been filed. The Confidential Guardian Screening Form (GC-212) for both Jacob and Vania are incomplete as to item 6. The Court notes the ICWA-010(A) indicates that the minor children are unsure of any tribal affiliations; however the Court notes ICWA notification was properly given regarding Ms. Goodman’s Petition (also a non-relative care provider) and no tribe requested to intervene in the matter.
This matter is continued to Monday, July 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 42 for further proceedings on the Annual Review, Order to Show Cause, and Petition for Appointment of a Successor Guardian of the Persons and Estate. The Temporary Guardianship is ORDERED to remain in effect until the continued hearing date. An amended Confidential Guardian Screening Form is required to be filed by each Petition to address the issues raised above. Petitioner are required to file and serve a properly noticed Petition to Remove Guardian.
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Petitioners are also required to file and serve a new Notice of Hearing for the continued hearing date, along with a copy of the Petition, on the parties identified above. In the alternative, if Petitioners cannot serve the parties identified, the Court will require a declaration explaining in detail all efforts of Petitioners to locate and serve them and why they cannot be served, to permit the Court to dispense with notice. Warning: Failure to properly effect service or provide adequate basis to dispense with service as to the necessary parties will result in denial of the Petition.
Notice is preserved. No appearance is necessary on today’s calendar.
GUARDIANSHIP OF EVAN NEWTON