In hundreds of custody disputes across Washington each year, judges appoint neutral court investigators to look into how parents’ issues like substance use, domestic violence and mental health could impact kids. But as a growing number of families and advocates raise concerns about how flawed investigations can flip cases against parents trying to protect their kids, legislators are beginning to look at reforms.
These guardians ad litem, also referred to as GALs, have no direct authority on custody rulings, but their reports can have a large influence on judges’ parenting plan decisions — and on children’s safety. Yet in many counties, they have limited training, aren’t required to have a professional license and have little independent oversight, leading in some instances to biased reports without a meaningful way for families to challenge them. Parents have shelled out thousands of dollars in legal fees trying to remove guardians ad litem from cases, a process that is rarely successful and that some fear will only worsen their chances of retaining custody, InvestigateWest reported.
