What it is: a person appointed by the judge — often described as “the eyes and ears of the court” — to investigate and advocate for the best interests of a child (or other vulnerable person) in a legal proceeding.
Keep away: the GAL can testify in court. This is the most significant difference from a Child Representative. If a GAL is involved, they are helping the court make a well-informed decision — having a good relationship with the GAL does not hurt your case.
What to expect: the GAL interviews the family, may visit homes, reviews records, and can be called as a witness at hearing. Their testimony is influential because they’ve seen what the judge hasn’t.
Watch out for: the GAL is not your advocate and not the child’s “lawyer” in the traditional sense — they represent the best-interests standard. Treat them with candor and respect; trying to coach or avoid them backfires.
