It is common for parents who are going through a divorce in Illinois to disagree on issues in the divorce process. When these issues involve a child, a judge might appoint a guardian ad litem. Guardian ad litem is Latin for “guardian for the lawsuit,” and it is the guardian ad litem’s job to represent the child’s interests during the divorce process.
A guardian ad litem is an attorney who has received guardian child advocacy training and certification. This means that he or she is uniquely qualified to represent a child in court. A guardian ad litem can be extremely helpful in situations where parents disagree and it is hard for a judge to know what would be best for the child.
What Does a Guardian Ad Litem Do?
Once appointed, a guardian ad litem will do some or all of the following things: