Guardian Ad Litem

A guardian ad litem (“GAL”) is a specially-trained advocate who is court-appointed to perform an investigation or evaluation and provide recommendations to the judge as to a child (or children’s) best interest.

Georgia courts may need to appoint a Cherokee County or North Georgia guardian ad litem attorney to represent a child or children whose parents are involved in divorce or parenting plan proceedings, parental rights case or other family law case. The family law attorneys at Austin Law Group, P.C. are committed to serving in the role of guardian ad litem for these children and being their voice in court, often when there is conflict between parents, or in instances of abuse, neglect or abandonment.

In guardian ad litem cases, our attorneys are not directly representing the child or children, rather we are charged with acting in the child’s or children’s best interest. The appointment of guardian ad litem can be requested by either spouse in a divorce case, or the judge may deem it necessary to appoint a guardian ad litem in order to serve the best interests of the child.

In dissolution of marriage cases or other family law cases involving the creation, approval, or modification of a parenting plan, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem if it finds that doing so is in the best interest of the child. The appointment will be for the GAL “to act as next best friend of the child, investigator or evaluator, not as attorney or advocate.

Parents, judges and third parties seek our services in guardian ad litem matters because they trust our compassion, our ability to remain neutral between both parents, and our successful experience representing families throughout North Georgia. Our independent investigation into the lives of the children we are appointed to serve have uncovered intricate details that lead to better circumstances after presented to the court.