Pro-Se
Kinship Guardianship
The fancy way of saying “without a lawyer”.
Pegasus provides legal services to grandparents and other adults taking care of children whose parents are unable or unwilling to provide them with proper care.
The documents below can help guide families wishing to go through the legal process of obtaining guardianship on their own. This process is called “Pro se”, Latin for “on one’s own behalf”.
If you don’t have an attorney and want to open a case yourself, you may access some of the most common Kinship Guardianship documents below to fill out and begin your case.
If you would like to read more about Kinship Guardianship you can click on document 1-Kinship Guardianship Steps for People without Lawyers. There’s also an infographic here that spells out this process visually and defines some common legal terms. When you are ready, you can proceed to document 2.
Help us reach more children in need of legal services
$10.00 a week $520 per year
provides the funds for an attorney to provide full legal representation in an uncontested guardianship case.
1- Kinship Guardianship Steps for People without Lawyers
2- 4A-501- Petition to Appoint Kinship Guardian(s)
4- 4A-506- Nomination of Kinship Guardians
6- 4-209- Motion for Service by Publication
7- 4A-503. Ntc of Pendency of Action
8- 4-209B- Order for Service of Process by Publication in Newspaper
9- 4A-206- Request for Hearing
11- 4A-511- Order Appointing Kinship Guardian(s)
12- 4A-509 Motion to Appoint Temporary Kinship Guardian(s)
13- 4A-507- Ex Parte Motion to Appoint Temporary Kinship Guardian(s)
14- 4A-510- Order Appointing Temporary Kinship Guardian(s)
15- 4A-508- Ex Parte Order Appointing Temporary Kinship Guardian(s)
16- 4A-206- Request for Hearing
18- 4-222- Application for Free Process
19- 4-223 – Order for free process
20- 4-115- Request for Court Interpreter
21- 4-116- Cancellation of Court Interpreter
23- 4A-101- Domestic Relations Information Sheet
24- 4A-402 Petition to Establish Parentage
25- 4A-512- Motion to Revoke Guardianship
26- 4A-513- Order to Revoke Guardianship
27-4A-514 – Department Consent CYFD
Other Useful Documents
If a parent wants you to be able to take their child to the doctor or make school decisions for their child, you may use a Power of Attorney.
If you are unable to find a parent, but need to have documentation stating you take care for the child in order to take the child to the doctor or make school decisions for a child, you may use a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit.
If you are a grandparent looking to petition the court for visitation of your grandchildren, you can use this petition.
Want to learn more? See our Kinship Guardianship Pro-Se Infographic that outlines the process step-by-step.
The Guardianship Legal Helpline provides information, advice, and assistance to self-represented litigants in kinship guardianship cases statewide. Pegasus also provides full service direct legal representation in uncontested and contested guardianship cases statewide.
Kinship Guardianship is a legal relationship that is established between a minor child the adult caring for that child. Only a Court can grant Guardianship to a non-parent.
Click Here for Additional Information.
Pegasus helps grandparents and other people raising children whose parents are unable or unwilling to provide them with proper care.
If you need help or have questions about kinship guardianship of a child, call the Guardianship Legal Helpline (505) 217-1660 or 1-833-355-6944.
We will determine whether your case is appropriate for our services. Se habla espanol. The Guardianship Legal Helpline offers information, advice, and referrals for direct legal representation.
If a parent wants you to be able to take their child to the doctor or make school decisions for their child, you may use a Power of Attorney.
If you are unable to find a parent, but need to have documentation stating you take care for the child in order to take the child to the doctor or make school decisions for a child, you may use a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit.
If you want to represent yourself, you may access the New Mexico Supreme Court forms here. Most applicable forms can be found under “District Court Forms” > “Domestic Relations” > “Kinship Guardianship.”
Want to learn more? See our Kinship Guardianship Infographic that outlines the process step-by-step.