Guardian Ad Litem (Encyclopedia)

A Guardian Ad Litem is a court appointed volunteer advocate that works for the best interest of the child during all court proceedings. Guardian Ad Litem's generally make recommendations to the court which are in the best interest of the child.

The volunteer Guardian Ad Litem, commonly referred to as a GAL, are people who respects a child's right to grow up in a safe environment which meets that child's individual needs. Through each stage of the process, the GAL should present the facts as they understand them, regarding the best interest of the child.

Typically, GAL's are assigned to most court cases which involve children, such as custody disputes, foster care, visitation agreements and adoption.

It is the Guardian Ad Litem's job to ensure that the best interest of the child is represented when a child can't speak for themselves.