|
|
The Supreme Court of Ohio today released for public comment a new rule to govern the appointment and performance of guardians ad litem.
A guardian ad litem is appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child in a legal dispute concerning the child’s custody or welfare.
Rule 48 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio would apply in all domestic relations, juvenile and probate cases in common pleas courts that appoint a guardian ad litem. Although some courts have local rules, there is no state rule that sets standards regarding the appointment, responsibilities, training and reporting requirements of guardians ad litem. The rule would require each court to enter an Order of Appointment, which identifies the capacity in which the guardian ad litem is appointed, and would set out specific duties the guardian ad litem is to perform to learn about the facts of the case and the status of the child.
Public comment on the new rules will be accepted until June 10, 2008.
The proposed rules can be found at: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Rules/default.asp.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.