Rate the experience you had with your Guardian ad litem

How well has the Guardian ad litem worked for the state or for the people involved in a case? Are there problems with one Guardian ad litem or a Judge? No one knows because there is no public data showing where problems may be - so citizens of the state cannot make informed decisions about a Guardian ad litem. The Judicial Branch does not know and so they cannot correct problems with a Guardian ad litem, court or Judge.

In the past there was no opportunity to state whether the cost of a Guardian ad litem service was worth it. There was no opportunity to rate that service which had been provided. Any complaint or review would be through the courts and we have all seen just how effective that is in correcting any kind of problem. Or for letting consumers know what to expect.

That is until today.

There are two survey's that are being made available to those who have been influenced by a Guardian ad litem and the Judge that manages him/her. These survey's are short and you have the opportunity to add as much detail as you feel is necessary. While the Guardian ad litem name is asked the results for that person will not be displayed at this time. You do not have to give this persons name nor do you have to give your name. If you are interested in knowing whether a particular Guardian ad litem has been reviewed - that request can be emailed and some basic information can be provided as well as the names of others who have had an experience with that Guardian ad litem.

Thank you for taking the time to fill out one or both of these surveys. Please feel free to have family members, friends or others that were impacted by the Guardian ad litem recommendation(s) fill out the survey's.

NationalGALalert

Guardian ad litem Performance Survey

Guardian ad litem cost survey

For more information on Guardians ad litem please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook for up to date information.

Oversight and Complaints - Easier through Overseers of the Bar

We have been told that the Overseers of the Bar would provide an effective means of Guardian ad litem oversight and management. We have also been told that the means of filing a complaint through the Overseers is something that the average person would be able to understand and do on their own. While it is true that anyone can file a complaint - and that a lawyer is not needed - as many are being told. The problem is understanding the Rules and Rules for professional Conduct.

Because the public are being told how easy it is to understand what they will have to deal with we are publishing both the Rules and Rules of Professional Conduct so that you can get a preview of what is to come for Guardians ad litem. Before diving in and reading here are some statistics:

The rules consist of 62 pages and 40205 words. The Rules of Professional Conduct comes in at a lite 138pages and 87700 words (the current flawed Rules and Standards for Guardians ad litem come in at a hefty 18 pages and 8008 words). Both of these documents are allegedly easier to understand and as Rep Jarrod Crockett would have us believe - make for an easier process for management, oversight and more importantly filing a complaint. It is nice to know that Rep Crockett is so concerned about making things easier for his constituents and citizens of Maine as to support a process that only a lawyer could love.

For more information please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or keep up to date on Facebook.

We present to you a preview of what is to come courtesy of the Maine Overseers of the Bar:

pdf versions -

The Rules

The Rules for Professional Conduct

In Georgia Investigation shows no Oversight of Guardians ad litem

An investigation into Guardians ad litem shows many of the same issues that have been seen across the country. No oversight, accountability or management of these court officers that can have such a huge impact on a child's life. When you get a Guardian ad litem that does not fulfill their role there is very little that one can do to remove them from the case. You - as a parent - are working within a dysfunctional system.

While this article and video is focused on Georgia the points that are brought up by the reporter can be applied in every state. "The mental anguish for my children and me has been huge," said Gracie Ortiz Terrett a parent that was interviewed for the piece. Gracie says what many have felt by the uncaring process and hurt that children and parents experience and can relate to.

The video can be found at CBS Atlanta News. Please feel free to comment or write us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com.

In Utah a Grandmother fights for the best interest of her grandson

In Utah there is a young boy whose Grandmother is fighting for his life. This child was taken by the state on June 14th 2010 because the mother had made poor choices in her life. The grandmother of the boy tried to figure out how she could take custody of this boy - she could not afford an attorney. This Grandmother had been raising this boy from birth along with his brother - she had an emotional, physical and financial connection to these brothers.

In 2011 after having focused on the lives of her grandsons she was confronted with a court hearing in February. It was at this time the Judge first brought up the idea of adoption  of one of the brothers. A therapist was ordered to research the matter of whether or not it would be in the best interest of the boy to be separated. The therapist Rachael Jones spoke with everyone that was involved with the boys life at the time. In April 2011 the foster parents who were attempting to adopt the child backed out. There was a new family that was interested in adoption. The grandmother now was only seeing her grandson twice a month for three hours of unsupervised visits. The therapist indicated that it would not be in the best interest of this boy to be adopted and should stay with the family at the court hearing.

The Judge stopped the therapist before she could finish and indicated that the child was going to be adopted. The grandmother in shock because of what she had just heard timidly raised her hand to ask the Judge if she could speak. The Judge barked to her saying "If you think you can change my mind - you are not...... but go ahead." The grandmother pleaded with the judge and the judge thanked the grandmother - the judge then turned her attention to the new foster parents who had only been with the child for less than three weeks and asked if they wanted to adopt. They said yes. In December 2011 there was a finalized adoption hearing.

The grandmother fought the system, the judge and the Guardian ad litem that became involved. Last November the grandmother was told by the courts that it was final - the boy stays with his new foster parents. On May 7, 2013 this grandmother is being given a second chance to bring her grandson back into his family and to be with his brother. Please follow this link for the appeal and follow the trials of this child and grandmother on Facebook.

STATE OF UTAH, in the interest of C.C. and K.H., to read about the appeal.





For up to date information on Guardian ad litem reform please write us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook.

Legislator’s illness delays guardian ad litem hearing on LD872

A legislative committee that was about to open discussions Thursday evening on a bill seeking to reform the state’s guardian ad litem program postponed the meeting after one of its members was taken away by ambulance.

The Judiciary Committee was in recess after hours of hearings on other bills, when Rep. Lisa Villa, D-Harrison, suddenly became ill.

Full story: PPH

Article is second one down

Complaints fuel bid for guardian ad litem reform

A legislator says the system that protects the interests of kids mistreats other parties.

Portland Press Hearld

Before David Dutremble got divorced in 2005 and fought for shared custody of his children, he had never heard of a guardian ad litem.

Now, in his first term as a state senator, Dutremble is leading an effort to reform what he considers a broken system, in which judges assign specially registered lawyers or mental health workers to step into the most contentious cases, like divorces, to represent the children.

Dutremble, a Democrat from Biddeford, has filed a bill to make sweeping changes to Maine's guardian ad litem program, including a better definition of the role, a new management structure, a database to track the work, and increased requirements to qualify as a guardian ad litem.

The Legislature's Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on an amended version of his proposal at 2 p.m. Thursday.

"It's a hot issue. I'm a freshman senator and everyone knows my name," Dutremble said. "I'm getting a lot of pushback from lawyers and the judiciary. There's people who live off the guardian system. It's all about the money."

On opposing sides of the bill are the guardians themselves, and the parents who feel they were wronged by guardians' actions in their cases.

Dutremble said the guardian ad litem assigned to his case immediately sided with his ex-wife and decided that Dutremble's job as a Biddeford firefighter was not beneficial to raising children.

Full story: PPH

Reform for guardians ad litem under way

This article came out on April 11, 2013.

Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier

By Tracey Collins
Contributing Writer

BIDDEFORD – Eight years after his divorce, state Sen. David Dutremble (DDistrict 4) is lending his political support and personal experience to reform the laws that govern court-appointed guardians in family matters.

On March 28, Dutremble joined fellow lawmakers and citizens from York County to testify at a public hearing of the Maine State Judicial Committee in Augusta.

“Prior to my divorce I had never entered a courtroom as a defendant. I can assure you, the appointment of a guardian ad litem was one of the worst experiences of my life – and I am a full-time firefighter,” said Dutremble during his testimony.

The guardian appointed during his divorce suggested his work schedule as a veteran firefighter would not be healthy for his children and recommended he change jobs.

Since 1979, guardian ad litems have been appointed by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services under Title 22. In 1994, the statute was extended to include court appointed guardians in Title 19 family law matters. According to the judiciary, as the number of divorces and other stressful family matter cases have increased, so too have the needs for court-appointed parties to represent the best interest of children caught in the crossfire of contentious family matters, such as custody disputes. The problem, said Dutremble, is that the system is skewed to benefit the divorce industry, not the children caught in the middle.

Full story: Courier