needy
enthusiast
Reged: 01/18/06
Posts: 312
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Does anyone know how or if one can check out a GAL's record for fairness like percentage of ruling favor mother over father etc or always rules in the middle.
How much time is a GAL on a case, do they really do enough research to make a good determination. Are they really neutral? Has your GAL really listened to the children or just act as a mediator? I know a GAL is supposed to only work in the best interest of the child but is that your experience?
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Gecko
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 14742
Loc: Third rock from the sun
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Does anyone know how or if one can check out a GAL's record for fairness like percentage of ruling favor mother over father etc or always rules in the middle.
---> This has been brought up before and it would be difficult to correlate any information because there are just too many variables. Example...what if a particular GAL ends up being appointed to a lot of cases involving abusive fathers or manipulative mothers. Would it be fair to said that the GAL is "mother friendly" or "father friendly" because he/she recommends placement with mother or father?
---> Additionally, the majority of what occurs during the divorce process doesn't make it into the court file so no one can't accurately make any determinations based solely on that information and I don't know too many people who would open their personal files for review.
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If you air your dirty linen in public, expect people to comment on the skid marks!
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Miranda
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/02/05
Posts: 16696
Loc: North of Mexico
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I would think a good GAL would really NOT listen to children. GALs are smart enough to figure out if children have been PAS-ed or coereced into saying something. I don't what children say carries that much weight.
And if the GAL was smart, he/she would not have a track record in favor of moms over dads. Someone who votes 95% of the time in favor of women cannot hardly be called "neutral".
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I may be schizophrenic but at least I have each other.
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needy
enthusiast
Reged: 01/18/06
Posts: 312
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PAS is way overused and from where it comes from (Richard Gardner) shouldn't be used at all. Yes a good GAL should be able to tell if a child is being coerced and that should help making a decision. It is the children's lives at stakes so I don't see how you feel they shouldn't count.
Someone always taking the side of father's over mothers or vice versa is hardly neutral either.
I think a good GAL listen to everyone and also the body language over several visits.
I do believe a child knows what is going on better than any outsider and if the child is doing well in school etc than the child's opinion should greatly matter. if a child report abuse than it should be taken seriously, the way a child reacts to a parent and treats a parent should count.
AS a CASA volunteer, I have spent many hours visiting homes and jail and courts as well as relatives and the child and doctors. I spend many hours on one child, I just don't see how a GAL can do the amount of time and hours needed for such an important task as most parents can't really afford too many hours even though court ordered. I know most GALs don't spend that many hours and it is a child's life. Most cases aren't that bad but some are.
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Miranda
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/02/05
Posts: 16696
Loc: North of Mexico
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I guess you can't handle dissenting views...
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I may be schizophrenic but at least I have each other.
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Gecko
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 14742
Loc: Third rock from the sun
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Golly gee...I wonder is someone has some research on CASA volunteers to see if they are "biased"...especially those who think they are better than most GAL's because of the amount of hours they put in.
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If you air your dirty linen in public, expect people to comment on the skid marks!
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MetalMom
old hand
Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 837
Loc: I'm in PA, case is in NJ
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Needy only asked if anyone knows if track records are kept on GAL's. Miranda, it seemed to me that needy agreed with what you said, and just added a little more about her veiws.
If you can find out lawyer's track records, there's nothing strange about wanting to know a GAL's track record. Gecko is right about the variables, but it would be nice to be able to track these people and see if they're biased, or how thourough each one investigates... After all, we're talking about children's lives & if the GAL simply bases their opinion on sketchy information plus bias, children could be put in serious danger. There SHOULD be a way to hold them responsible for doing their jobs properly. And it was pointed out to me before that for the government to monitor their methods would cost more money than anyone would be willing to pay.
IMO, if CASA volunteers put in double the hours of a GAL to investigate more thouroughly, their findings should be considered more accurate.
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"Don't pee on my leg & tell me it's raining." - Judge Judy
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hippie1981
veteran
Reged: 09/27/05
Posts: 1304
Loc: Wisconsin
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quick question...what is CASA?
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Gecko
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 14742
Loc: Third rock from the sun
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Court Appointed Special Advocate
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If you air your dirty linen in public, expect people to comment on the skid marks!
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Gecko
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 14742
Loc: Third rock from the sun
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IMO, if CASA volunteers put in double the hours of a GAL to investigate more thouroughly, their findings should be considered more accurate.
---> I have to disagree. Who here hasn't seen, or said themselves after separation/divorce..."I didn't know this or that about him/her"? You're talking about someone you slept with, had sexual intercourse with, ate with, lived with, shared a bathroom with, had children with...24/7 for several years. I "knew" my husband for almost 11 years...that's approximately 96,360 hours and I NEVER "thought" he would be such an a$$hole. Yet my friend Mary...who I met AFTER my divorce...told me the first time she met my ex-husband (after 1/2 hour) that she thought he was an a$$hole.
---> Now I'm not saying that GALs are better than CASAs or vice versa, but I don't think it's right to make judgments because of amount of time spent investigating, or education or whether you are paid or are a volunteer.
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If you air your dirty linen in public, expect people to comment on the skid marks!
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needy
enthusiast
Reged: 01/18/06
Posts: 312
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As Gecko said CASA is Court Appointed Special Advocate. They are also GALs but one one refers to a GAL they are generally speaking about the GAL's assigned by during a divorced and are paid generally by both parents but occassionally out of state funds.
CASA/GAL volunteer generally is assigned cases of severe abuse and the children are often in foster care and some in group homes. States (at least mine) work hard at trying to reunify families and give families the resources they need to become whole and function properly. I cannot speak for all states but in mine, there are not enough volunteers to
handle all the cases and therefore rarely if ever work on a divorce/custody situation.
Thank you for asking
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Miranda
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/02/05
Posts: 16696
Loc: North of Mexico
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In my state GALs are actual lawyers not volunteers.
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I may be schizophrenic but at least I have each other.
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needy
enthusiast
Reged: 01/18/06
Posts: 312
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Most paid GALs are lawyers here but some are psychologists, teachers, people from all professions etc. They go through a training program and become certified through the state. For them it is a job but they are committed to the children also and work for the children's best interest.
CASA/GAL are also from different professions (many are retirees) but do it volunteerally. The CASA organization does not allow foster parents to be CASA volunteers but many were foster parents formerly. CASA generally assigns only one case at a time and it could involve several children from the same family but one family could have a couple different CASA workers. CASA generally saves the states a lot of money as they as a rule represent people the state would have to pay services for as the parents are in the lower economic brackett. More affluence families are generally assigned GALS they are require to pay but not always.
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Gecko
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 14742
Loc: Third rock from the sun
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In Oregon:
GALs have to be licensed attorney's and have a degree in psychology because they serve dual purposes.
In "family law", they represent the child(ren).
In "dependancy" cases, they are appointed as an actual "guardian" for a person who has mental or physical disability or impairment. In "juvenile dependancy"...specifically related to TPR (terminiation of parental rights), they are still appointed even though the parent has, or is appointed an attorney.
CASA only works with Juvenile Dependancy and is made up of voluteers. They do not have to have a "social science" or "legal" background, but are required to attend an intense 40-hour traing program (which covers the dynamics of child abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, sexual abuse, child development, court and legal procedures, court report writing, courtroom etiquette, foster parenting and adoption, and relationship building with those involved in the child welfare system) and of course, pass a complete background check. You also have to attend at least 3 of 4 special training programs given every year.
A good CASA carries a LOT of weight here and I've seen one object to and force a Judge to overturn their own ruling because she was able to get information that no one had access to. A lot of times, people will talk to and/or confide in CASAs when they won't with anyone else. Why? Because CASAs aren't the "man"...they aren't part of the "system". They aren't like the Judge or the DHS case worker who is trying to take your kids away, they aren't your attorney who court-appointed who really doesn't care because they make their money either way...they don't have fancy degrees...they are just ordinary people.
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If you air your dirty linen in public, expect people to comment on the skid marks!
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