When questions arise in an Illinois court case regarding the best interests of a child, there are many different people who may potentially be involved. Attorneys for each parent, child welfare agents, and other parties advocating for the best interests of the child may each play a role with slightly different responsibilities.
In this article, we will examine the roles of child representatives, guardians ad litem, attorneys for the child, and custody evaluators. If a guardian ad litem has already been assigned to your child custody case, read our previous article to find out more about what you can do.
What is a Child Representative?
Child representatives are attorneys for a child and are tasked with advocating for the child’s best interests. They must investigate the circumstances and facts surrounding a case, meet with children and other relevant parties, and can be involved in court hearings related to allocation of parental responsibilities, parenting time, or overall parental fitness. Unlike a guardian ad litem, child representatives may not be called as witnesses to testify in court, and they do not submit a report to the court but instead provide evidence-based legal arguments.
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