Baby hatches are installed in hospitals and run by the wardship and guardianship authority.

In old German law, the wittum was a purchase price to be paid by the groom to the head of the bride's family in order to receive guardianship authority over the bride (Wittemde, Wettma, also Mund).

Liberals and groups such as the ACLU hold this was a private matter and the actions of the Schindlers interfered with the guardianship authority of Michael Schiavo and the privacy rights of Terri Schiavo.