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Full-Text Articles in Family Law
Guardians Ad Litem Do Not Belong In Family Mediations , Suzanne J. Schmitz
Guardians Ad Litem Do Not Belong In Family Mediations , Suzanne J. Schmitz
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
A Guardiam Ad Litem (GAL) is valuable to the resolution of custody disputes because the GAL evaluates the facts concerning the dispute and recommends to the court what are the best interests of the child.5 Mediation is valuable because parents can determine their own decisions regarding their children. However, where appointing a GAL threatens the value of mediation, there is a risk to mediation. A simple solution to avoid this threat is to refrain from appointing a GAL until after mediation has been attempted or, if one is appointed prior to mediation, to excuse the GAL from mediation. This article …