Connecticut Probate Court Guardianship Minor

The Forms You Actually Need

Connecticut Probate Court handles guardianship of minor children through a series of official forms, each designed for a different situation. The forms are available on ctprobate.gov, but the site does not explain which ones apply to kinship caregivers or how they fit together. Here is the map.

PC-504: Temporary Guardian

This is the starting point for most kinship caregivers. Form PC-504 petitions the court to appoint a temporary guardian when a parent is temporarily unable to care for a child. Both the parent and the proposed guardian sign the petition. The court can appoint the guardian for up to one year, renewable.

Use it when: The parent is in treatment, incarcerated, deployed, or temporarily unable to provide care — and is willing to cooperate.

File with: PC-504CI (confidential information sheet), JD-FM-164, the child's long-form birth certificate.

PC-500: Removal of Guardian

Form PC-500 is a petition to remove one or both biological parents as legal guardians of the child. This is the formal, permanent path — it does not require the parent's consent and results in a new guardian being appointed by the court.

Use it when: The parent is absent long-term, has abandoned the child, or their conduct meets the statutory grounds under CGS § 45a-610.

PC-502: Temporary Custody (Pending PC-500)

Filed during a pending PC-500 removal proceeding, form PC-502 asks the court to grant you temporary custody while the removal case proceeds.

Use it when: You have filed PC-500 and need legal authority now — the child needs to enroll in school, see a doctor, or access benefits while the removal case is pending.

PC-501: Immediate Temporary Custody

This is the emergency form. When a child faces immediate risk of serious physical injury or removal from the court's jurisdiction, PC-501 asks the court for an ex parte order — meaning the court can grant it without the parent present. The order lasts up to five business days, with a formal hearing within that period.

Use it when: The child's safety is at immediate risk and you cannot wait for the standard process.

PC-508: Guardian Where Parents Are Deceased

When both biological or legal parents are deceased, form PC-508 is the petition for appointment of a guardian. Filed with certified death certificates for both parents.

JD-FM-164: Affidavit Concerning Children

This Judicial Branch form is required with most guardianship and custody petitions. It documents the child's residency history for the past five years and discloses any other court proceedings involving the child — custody cases, restraining orders, DCF involvement. It exists to satisfy the UCCJEA (Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act), which prevents conflicting court orders across state lines.

Note the distinction: JD-FM-164 is a Judicial Branch form used in both Family Court and Probate Court proceedings. It is not a probate-specific form, which is why it has a different numbering system.

PC-184: Fee Waiver

Court filing fees can be a barrier for kinship caregivers on fixed incomes. Form PC-184 allows you to request a waiver of filing fees and service of process costs based on your financial situation. File it alongside your main petition.

How the Forms Fit Together

The most common combinations for kinship caregivers:

Cooperative parent: PC-504 + PC-504CI + JD-FM-164 + birth certificate

Uncooperative or missing parent: PC-500 + PC-500CI and PC-502 + PC-502CI + JD-FM-164 + birth certificate + documentation of search efforts

Child at immediate risk: PC-501 + JD-FM-164 + any supporting evidence

Both parents deceased: PC-508 + JD-FM-164 + certified death certificates

The Connecticut School and Medical Consent Guide walks through each form combination with the complete filing steps, what to expect at the hearing, and how to prepare documentation that satisfies the Probate Court on the first attempt.

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