A guardian ad litem is assigned by the court (as a third party) to most children whose custody the court must decide. The guardian acts in the best interest of the child and help eliminate all unnecessary emotional harm that may be caused by being in a courtroom crossfire between his or her parents. Depending on the age, most children are not be present at a custody trial. Instead the guardian (CASA) represents their interests in court.

See also Attorney for the Child(ren).

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1. Contacting the Guardian Ad Litem
   Most lawyers will highly recommend that as a parent in a custody dispute case, the guardian ad litem is off limits as far as making verbal or written contact with during a pending custody case. The guardian is a third party involved in the case, and he or she should only be contacted (if needed) by a parent’s lawyer. Many parents make the mistake of contacting the guardian and making some sort of plea, only to realize that he or she is not involved in the decision making.
   Contributed on 6/19/2007 by: DivorceDex.com Staff

   Category: Child Custody  (Applicable in All States)

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