A person appointed to make decisions for an incapacitated individual is called what?

• A. Power of attorney
• B. Guardian or conservator
• C. Public defender
• D. Court clerk

Answer: (B)

When someone cannot make decisions for themselves, a court appoints a guardian (for personal decisions) or a conservator (for finances) to handle those duties. This authority comes from guardianship or conservatorship proceedings and reflects a legal, ongoing role to act in the incapacitated person’s best interests. A power of attorney, by contrast, is a voluntary document created by the capable person to designate an agent, and it doesn’t involve a court appointment or necessarily continue if capacity ends. Public defender and court clerk refer to unrelated roles in the legal system, not to decision-making authority for an incapacitated person. So the correct designation is guardian or conservator.