As you approach a Cook County Domestic Relations Courtroom, you’ll notice a numbered list hung beside the courtroom door. That list will contain your case number, your name, your spouse’s name, and the names of a hundred other people whose cases are before the judge that day. And almost all of these cases will be listed as being scheduled for 9:30 AM. Your divorce case encompasses your whole life: Who is picking the kids up and when; Who is to pay what bills; Who has the kids this Christmas…which is only a few weeks away. How can a judge accurately and effectively adjudicate all these issues when the judge has 50 couples scheduled from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM? If your case involves just money issues, your Chicago divorce lawyer can work through those issues via the process of discovery. If your case involves children, Illinois judges outsource the investigation of the issues (as they relate to the children) to a Guardian Ad Litem or a Child Representative. Guardian Ad Litems will also be referred to as G.A.L.s or GALs. “A GAL is the ‘eyes and ears’ of the court.” In re Marriage of Wycoff, 266 Ill. App. 3d 408, 415 (1994) A Guardian Ad Litem or a Child Representative is an attorney who represents the best interests of the child. This representation usually is more about investigating what the situation at home is, reporting that situation to the court, and making recommendations to the court based on their findings. The Illinois Supreme Court Rule 907 provides for both the powers and the responsibilities of the Guardian Ad Litem and Child Representative. “Every child representative, attorney for a minor child, and guardian ad litem shall have the right to interview his or her client(s) without any limitation or impediment. Upon appointment of a child representative, attorney for the child or guardian ad litem, the trial court shall enter an order to allow access to the child and all relevant documents.(c) As soon as practicable, the child representative, attorney for the child, or guardian ad litem shall interview the child, or if the child is too young to be interviewed, the attorney should, at a minimum, observe the child. The child representative, attorney for the child, or guardian ad litem shall also take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to obtain all information pertaining to issues affecting the child, including interviewing family […]
