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Ohio Series on Divorce Part 21: Dealing with the Guardian ad Litem

September 2, 2014

divorce custody lawyer columbus, divorce custody lawyer ohio, divorce lawyer columbus, divorce lawyers columbus, divorce lawyers ohio, divorce lawyers ohio, divorce attorneys ohioIf custody or parenting time is contested in your Ohio divorce, then the court is probably going to appoint a guardian ad litem.  To read about what a guardian ad litem is, click HERE, and to read about the Ohio Supreme Court Rule governing guardian ad litem investigations, click HERE.

Once you have a guardian ad litem (attorney appointed to represent the best interest of the child) appointed to your case, they will do an investigation.  You and your Ohio Divorce Lawyer  want to do your very best to help the guardian ad litem understand your point of view.  Here are some tips for doing the best job you can with the guardian ad litem.

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Columbus Divorce Lawyer, Divorce Lawyer Columbus, Divorce Lawyers Columbus, Divorce Lawyers Columbus OHio, Divorce Attorney ColumbusThe guardian ad litem (GAL) will almost always send a questionnaire to be filled out with details about the case, along with perhaps some releases.

  • Take your time to do a good job on the questionnaire, but do NOT submit it to the GAL until your Ohio Divorce Lawyer has had a chance to look at your responses.
  • Do not sign any releases until you have your Ohio Divorce Attorney‘s consent to do so.
  • Fill out the questionnaire thoroughly, and take the questions seriously.  Do the home work to give complete answers.
  • Understand that NOTHING you say to the GAL is privileged, the questionnaire may be disclosed to the other side in discovery, and may even end up as a trial exhibit.  Yes, there is a chance, although slim, that the Magistrate will see your questionnaire.  Therefore, do not be casual when answering, be careful.

Understand that GAL’s often have a busy case load.  The more organized you and your Columbus Ohio Divorce Lawyer are when presenting your information to them, the more easily the GAL can understand your point of view.

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divorce lawyers columbus, divorce lawyers ohio, divorce lawyer columbus, divorce lawyer ohioYour Columbus Ohio Divorce Lawyer should prepare a packet of information to be sent to the guardian ad litem.  What goes in that packet of information should, at a minimum, include a copy of all the pleadings in your case.  If your Columbus Divorce Attorney has additional information relevant to your case, you and/or your Columbus Divorce Lawyer can organize the information in a way that is easy to digest (usually, but not always, chronological order).  It is helpful, but no crucial, if your Columbus Divorce Attorney can send this information to the GAL before his or her first interview with you.  Hopefully, the GAL will have had time to look at the information before your first meeting, but do not become upset if it does not work out this way.  Be respectful of their schedule and work load.  They do not receive a packet of materials from all Ohio Divorce Lawyers, and the bigger the packet, the bigger an unexpected surprise the GAL will have received.

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Before your first meeting with the GAL, think about what you want to tell him or her.  Make a list of important points, so that you do not forget them.  Think about what you think the other side will want to say to the GAL, so that you can present your side of the story.  If your Columbus Divorce Lawyer sent materials to the GAL (other than just pleadings), you should bring a copy with you so that you can tell the GAL about those materials, especially if the GAL has not had a chance to read them yet.

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  • Tell the truth.
  • NEVER FORGET, the GAL is not your attorney, and nothing you say to them is privileged (secret).  They can use ANYTHING you say against you, if they think it is best for the child.
  • The GAL is not exactly a neutral, they are an advocate for the child.  They will use any evidence they gather from their investigation in whatever way they think will benefit the child, as long as it is legal and ethical.
  • If you have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL about touchy subjects that will have to be discussed with the GAL, talk to your attorney first.  You may find that the subject you are worried about is perfectly okay to discuss with the GAL.  Regardless, you will feel more confident and less nervous having discussed it with your attorney first.

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divorce custody lawyers columbus, child custody divorce lawyers columbus, custody divorce lawyers columbus, columbus ohio divorce lawyer, columbus ohio divorce lawyersAfter the GAL’s investigation is complete, he or she will make a recommendation to the court.  This recommendation is HUGE, HUGE, HUGE.  Very important.  Some courts flatly follow the recommendation of their guardians without variance.  In this writers experience, with many different Ohio counties, about 90% of the time, if a case goes to trial over custody matters, the court will make orders which are the same or similar to the recommendation of the GAL.  Do not count on being the exception to the rule, and don’t expect your attorney to make you the exception to the rule once the bad news is in.  Instead, work hard at the very beginning of the case to present organized information to the GAL about your point of view so that this person can understand a lot of information in a short period of time, and hopefully reach a favorable conclusion.

CALL NOW  at (614) 225-9316

Ohio Father's Rights Lawyer, Ohio Father's Rights Attorney, Columbus Father's Rights Attorney, Columbus Father's Rights Lawyer, Columbus Father's Rights LawyersNeed some help? We would be happy to schedule a consultation with you.  Please give us a call, and one of our Ohio Child Custody Lawyers will meet with you to discuss you case. Columbus Father's Rights Attorney, Columbus Father's Rights Lawyer, Columbus Father's Rights Lawyers, Columbus Father's Rights Lawyers

 

 

 

You may be interested in some of our other divorce articles:

  • Part 1: Conciliation or Legal Separation
  • Part 2: Dissolution or Uncontested Divorce
  • Part 3: Reasons to Choose Divorce
  • Part 4: Restraining Orders
  • Part 5: Where will you live?
  • Part 6:Paper Work
  • Part 7: Health Insurance
  • Part 8: Attorney Fees
  • Part 9: 5 Dirty Divorce Tricks
  • Part 10: 5 More Dirty Divorce Tricks
  • Part 11: Columbus Ohio Divorce Jurisdiction
  • Part 12: Columbus Ohio Professional Practice Divorce
  • Part 13: Military Divorce Jurisdiction – What State to File In
  • Series on Divorce Part 14: Interstate Divorce
  • Series on Divorce Part 15: Interstate Divorce and Child Custody
  • Series on Divorce Part 16: Psychological Evaluations in Ohio Divorce and Custody Cases
  • Series on Divorce Part 17: Divorce and Medical Practice Owners
  • Series on Divorce Part 18: Can you get a divorce or dissolution in Ohio while pregnant?
  • Series on Divorce Part 19: Separate Property
  • Series on Divorce Part 20: Average Cost of a divorce in Ohio

DISCLAIMER – Read it, it’s important!

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READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ OUR WEB SITE

1. This site applies to the state of Ohio and matters of federal law only.
2. The info on our site is not legal advice because we don't know the facts of your case. If you want legal advice, you must meet with a lawyer.
3. Reading this website or sending documents to us does not create an attorney-client relationship and information or documents you give us will not be kept confidential unless you call us, tell us who is involved in your case, and let us do a conflict of interest check.

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Ohio Child Support Guidelines Calculator

Ohio Child Support Guidelines Calculator

Blogroll

  • Columbus Ohio Divorce Lawyer

Read this before you read our website

1. This site applies to the state of Ohio and matters of federal law only.

2. The info on our site is not legal advice because we don't know the facts of your case. If you want legal advice, you must meet with a lawyer.

3. Reading this website or sending documents to us does not create an attorney-client relationship and information or documents you give us will not be kept confidential unless you call us, tell us who is involved in your case, and let us do a conflict of interest check.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Annulment of Marriage
  • Appeals
  • CERTIFIED SPECIALIST – OSBA Certified Family Relations Specialist
  • Child Support
  • Columbus Ohio Collaborative Family Law
  • Contempt of Court
  • Custody
  • Dissolution of Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Divorce & Alimony
  • Divorce & Assets
  • Divorce & Business Owners
  • Divorce & Child Support
  • Divorce & Custody
  • Divorce & Professional or Medical Practice Owners
  • Family Law
  • Father's Rights
  • Franklin County & 88 Ohio Counties
  • Grandparents Rights
  • Legal Separation
  • LGBT Family Law, Divorce, Custody
  • Military Divorce
  • Mother's Rights
  • Moving & Relocation
  • Ohio Collaborative Divorce
  • Parental Alienation
  • Paternity
  • Post-Decree Modifications
  • Prenuptial & Antenuptial Agreements (Prenup)
  • Shared Parenting
  • Temporary Orders in Ohio
  • Uncontested Divorce
  • Unmarried & Never Married Parents
  • Visitation
(614) 225-9316

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From our downtown Columbus offices we serve clients throughout Ohio. We also service areas such as Gahanna, Bexley, Blacklick, Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Lancaster, Westerville, New Albany, Pickerington, Powell, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Lancaster, Franklin County, Fairfield County and more. In addition, we serve clients in several Ohio Counties, including, but not limited to: Franklin County, Delaware County, Licking County, and Fairfield County.

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Family Relations Specialist

Ohio Bar Association Certified Family Law Specialist

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  • Adoption (4)
  • Alimony or Spousal Support (3)
  • Annulment (5)
  • Appeals (3)
  • Child Custody (39)
  • Child Support (15)
  • Civil Protection Orders & Domestic Violence (3)
  • Collaborative Divorce (1)
  • Contempt & Enforcement (12)
  • Dissolution , Amicable Divorce, No Fault Divorce (15)
  • Divorce (45)
  • Emergency Custody and Supervised Visitation (3)
  • Father's Rights and Paternity (12)
  • Grandparents Rights in Ohio (14)
  • Guardian ad Litem (3)
  • High Asset Divorce (2)
  • Interstate Family Law (2)
  • Jurisdiction and Venue (6)
  • Legal Separation (5)
  • LGBT Family Law (6)
  • Mediation (1)
  • Military Family Law (3)
  • Mothers' Rights (2)
  • Moving and Relocation (10)
  • Ohio County Visitation Schedules (86)
  • Parental Alienation (2)
  • Post Decree Cases (6)
  • Prenuptial Agreements or Antenuptial Agreements (3)
  • Psychological Evaluations (2)
  • Shared Parenting (2)
  • Step-Parent Adoption (1)
  • Tax Issues (1)
  • Temporary Orders (5)
  • Uncategorized (14)
  • Uncontested Divorce (2)
  • Unmarried Parents (6)
  • Visitation (6)

Recent Posts:

  • Appealing Your Ohio Family Law Judgment Entry
  • The Ohio LGBT community’s new right to marry also means the right to step-parent adoption
  • Ohio LGBT Shared Custody Agreements: Get it in Writing!
  • Columbus Ohio Same Sex Divorce Lawyer & Prenuptial Agreement Lawyer
  • Same Sex Divorce in Ohio: U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Bans on Same Sex Marriage

From our downtown Columbus offices we serve clients throughout Ohio. We also service areas such as Bexley, Blacklick, Columbus, Delaware, Dublin, Gahanna, Hilliard, Lancaster, Marysville, Westerville, New Albany, Newark, Pickerington, Plain City, Powell, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Lancaster, Zanesville and more. In addition, we serve clients in all Ohio Counties, including, but not limited to: Franklin County, Delaware, Licking, Logan, Fairfield, Union, Marion, Muskingum, Pickaway, Ross, Richland, Madison, Morrow, Knox, and more.

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Law Offices of Virginia C. Cornwell
408 Emory St
Columbus , OH , 43230
(614) 225-9316
Latitude: 40.00734
Longitude: -82.84535