COMMUNITY
Guardian ad Litem Point of View
Volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation .
PHOTO CREDIT : PIXABAY . COM
AUDREY BERGESON Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation abergeson @ avlf . org
28 January / February 2022
When parents and caregivers have disputes over the custody and care of their children , the Superior Court may appoint guardian ad litem ( GAL ) 1 to advocate for the best interests of the children involved in the custody case . GALs appointed to Superior Court custody cases are governed by Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.9 , which provides in part that :
[ T ] he GAL shall represent the best interests of the child . The GAL is an officer of the court and shall assist the court and the parties in reaching a decision regarding child custody , visitation and childrelated issues … The GAL holds a position of trust with respect to the minor child at issue and must exercise due diligence in the performance of his / her duties . A GAL should be respectful of , and should become educated concerning , cultural and economic diversity as may be relevant to assessing a child ’ s