The Center has an active census of 4,800 court-appointed cases, making the Center the largest agency of its kind in the country. The clients, from all age groups and backgrounds, become ‘wards of the state’ and have a guardian appointed because of: - Physical or mental illness and are either living in the community or institutionalized - Older adults suffering from functional decline and unable to access their rights, resulting in inadequate care and decreased quality of life - Minors who cannot legally represent and care for themselves The Center, as guardian, is oftentimes the sole body caring for those whom exploitation, neglect and “falling through the system” are conceivable situations given the characteristics of this vulnerable population.