Guardian Ad Litem

In juvenile court proceedings, a guardian ad litem is appointed to advocate for the best interests of the child. In family court proceedings, though, guardian ad litems are not used. There are two options somewhat similar to a guardian ad litem: A best interests attorney and child’s attorney. Functionally, a guardian ad litem, best interest attorney, and child’s attorney fill nearly identical roles: They all are there to represent the child’s best interests; the difference is the varying degrees to which they are beholden to the child’s wishes.