Lesson #3 – Ad litem. It’s such a fancy word. In short, it’s an attorney who represents children in a divorce proceeding. They are hired to advocate for the children’s best interest. They meet with the parents, the children and potentially other people and then present their findings and professional opinion to a judge for consideration. This is often used in custody cases.
Whether to use one can be a hard decision. On one hand, if the two spouses do not agree on the ad litem, the court could appoint one. This can feel like its a risky because you likely don’t know one from another or if they will be a good advocate for your kids. In turn, if you do not have one, it could feel like a risk. This puts the burden of proof, so to say, on both parties to present a case without hearsay and sometimes without evidence admissible to court. An ad litem is also an additional cost which in a divorce just increases the financial burden which is already heavy. An ad litem is not always necessary or beneficial but is an option which may need to be considered if children are involved. An ad litem can be hired at any point in a divorce case so you do not need to decide this right off. Research and educate yourself if this is an option you need to pursue. Pray about it and seek wise counsel.
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