Problems with court appointed GAL (gardian ad litem)

[mytearsofjoy]

I live in washington state and am having unresolved problems with a court appointed GAL. the gal was appointed for the sole purpose of determining the wishes of the children. she did every thing except that. in her report as my attorney pointed out in court her report in no way represents a full investigaion of what is in the best interests of the children. That she made no attempt to contact any of my offered character witnesses and appears to have unfairly and inaccurately represented my stability as well as my character. that I have been the primary caretaker of the children for the past ten years. if the children are in as good health and as well adjusted as the gal reports than it is to by benifit. yet still the court has gone along with the gal recommendations to give the ex 48% custody. even though he never saw the children as much as was allowed in the orginal parenting plan which the court through out. over a year and a half ago at the hearing where the ex was awarded the temp parenting plan the gal told the judge that if the case wasent settled soon she would consider the children at risk. i take that as a treat on her part to force me into aggrement with her plan. i supplied over 20 letters from people with first had knowledge as to the events of the last ten years. all were ignored, my phone calls were rarley ever answered. the fact that the ex is a convicted felon on drug charges and carries a hand gun and has guns in his home were ignored as well as the fact that the ex has numorious DUI convictions, a weapons charge and is behind some $35,000.00 in his support payments, has not filed taxes in the last 13 years, lied to the court about being in process of offer and compromise with the irs. if he is awarded for his behavior it will all but eliminate any future support payments. could this be the reason for this suit? you tell me. by the way i have never been convicted of a crime in my life. to busy raising children i guess. can anyone give me some advice on how to put a stop to this or at least report the behavior of the gal? there has not been a final ruling on this yet but should be soon i need help

 

[Kristine30]

I also live in Washinton, similar situations with EX, felon, lots of convictions of assualt, has not done the court ordered items on the parenting plan, nor spent all the time on visits..I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't.....feel your pain....hang in there!!!!!

 

[mytearsofjoy]

have any idea why this is happening? i have thought up quite a few, when this first started the ex told my now sister inlaw that there was no way he could lose because he has a judge in his pocket.

 

[Kristine30]

Wouldn't shock me....the judges I believe are out of touch...I proved in court that the supervisor for visitation lied about a specific thing, and I had an all over icky feeling about the guy, and asked for him to be removed, the judge would not allow it. Come to find out he is also a GAL (he only supervises to earn a living) on a GAL case he was doing he messed up, lied on the stand the child is dead....:-( it is a shame. I had a really good GAL, she was also an attorney (not mine) and I will be using her again when I go back to court shortly. I'm sorry that I can't answer you questions. Good luck to get an answer on this Post I have had a fairly easy question, but I don't know the answer too, but no reply.

 

[Ginger]

Mass here:

Mytears: I am in the same position as you. Gal report and recommendation is bogus. My lawyer has an expert reviewing the GAL report and will be talking with the people I listed that she did NOt talk to (she only talked with one person on my list) and everyone on my ex list.

Maybe you can have an expert look at the GAL report and go for an appeal on the judges decision. Good luck.

 

[mytearsofjoy]

problems with GAL

What type of expert is your attorney using? my case has not gone to trial yet though the temp. p/p is in effect it has been two years now.

 

[Ginger]

I am not quite sure. I would think it would be maybe a phycologist or another GAL. In either case, ask your lawyer to get an Expert to dispute that report. He should have someone in mind, like my lawyer did.