GAL's in CT

From the Connecticut Law Tribune:

During testimony before the legislature last year, it seemed like the loudest voices in the debate over family court reform were those of divorcing parents angry at a legal system they believed had failed them.

Dozens of people testified in favor of increased regulation for court-appointed guardians ad litem, who are appointed by judges and inform the court of the "best interests of the child" in high-conflict custody cases. Some parents complained of staggering legal bills brought on, in part, by GALs whose intervention caused cases to drag on for years. In turn, lawmakers approved changes, including a new sliding fee scale for court-appointed GALs and increased scrutiny of their appointment by judges.

The high drama of 2014 has a sequel this year. A bill introduced by state Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, D-Hartford, and supported by several legislators would further regulate GALs. But this time around, family law practitioners are speaking out. They say the proposed reforms, which would allow guardians ad litem to be sued, would further reduce the number of attorneys willing to serve as GALs and prove damaging for children caught in the middle of parental custody battles.

Read more here.