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Legal Information: District of Columbia
Laws current as of August 30, 2024 What is a guardian ad litem?
A guardian ad litem is an attorney who the judge appoints to represent the child’s best interest during the court case. The guardian ad litem is not there to represent either you or the other parent but to try to represent what s/he thinks is in the child’s best interest.
In addition to a guardian ad litem, or instead of one, the judge can appoint an attorney for the child whenever s/he thinks that it is in the best interest of the child and that the case will be better facilitated by appointing a private attorney to represent the child in a custody case.1
1 D.C. Code § 16-914(g)
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