Guardian Ad-Litem
History
In 1977, the concept of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program was introduced in Seattle, Washington. Seattle Juvenile Court Judge David W. Soukup realized that children who entered the legal system due to abuse or neglect in their own homes were often inadvertently re-victimized by courts and public social service agencies who were over-burdened, understaffed and woefully lacking in resources. Lawyers typically represented the interests of the parents and the state. Seldom did someone speak exclusively for the child, the party who arguably had the most at stake in the proceeding. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act enacted in 1974 prompted states to adopt legislation that provided representation for the child’s best interests during judicial proceedings, and attorney guardians ad litem generally did not have the time, training nor resources to conduct the kind of in-depth fact-finding needed to represent the best long term interests of children.
Once Judge Soukup recognized the problem, he looked to community volunteers for a solution. He personally recruited and trained volunteers to serve as guardians ad litem for children who entered the child welfare system.
The idea caught the attention and approval of the Children in Placement Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and in 1978 the Committee adopted the model that came to be known as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Indiana law requires the appointment of either a guardian ad litem or a trained court appointed special advocate in abuse and neglect cases. Moreover, if a child becomes the subject of a petition to terminate the parent/child relationship and the parent objects, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem or CASA for the child. In addition to the abuse and neglect cases, Indiana law allows for and Indiana courts are now frequently appointing CASA volunteers in custody and paternity cases. Although of the number of volunteers who provide an invaluable service to Indiana trial courts is remarkable, the need for more volunteers is ongoing.
For more information regarding the opportunity to serve as a volunteer CASA or Guardian ad Litem, contact the Indiana Office of Court Services.
Local
The Boone County Guardian Ad Litem (now GAL/CASA) Program was founded in 1986. The program is based on the belief that every child is entitled to a safe and permanent home and that responsible adults must work within the court system to speak for children who might otherwise go unheard. It is a program under the Boone County Circuit Court (which is our county’s Juvenile Court) but also serves both Boone County Superior Court I and Boone County Superior Court II in divorce/custody/paternity cases. Our local volunteers work in the Juvenile Court with families involved with the Department of Child Services, Boone County Office, when allegations of neglect or abuse of a child have been filed.
The Juvenile Court appoints the Guardian Ad Litem/CASA Program in all causes before it and the other courts will appoint the program as they deem necessary or at request of counsel. A CASA volunteer is then individually appointed to advocate for the child or children.
State
CASA in Indiana has grown over the years. In 1989, the Indiana General Assembly established an office of Guardian Ad Litem and Court Appointed Special Advocate services to be administered through the Division of State Court Administration. Through this program, counties can be certified to be eligible to receive matching grants administered by the Division and disbursed pursuant to a statutory formula. In addition, the state office provides training and support services for local GAL/CASA programs. An advisory commission, which includes program directors and judges appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court, provides guidance. The Advisory Commission has been involved in strategic planning over the past two years, setting goals and objectives for the statewide network and creating program standards and a code of ethics, which programs must comply with to be certified.
Indiana law requires the appointment of either a guardian ad litem or a trained court appointed special advocate in abuse and neglect cases. Moreover, if a child becomes the subject of a petition to terminate the parent/child relationship and the parent objects, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem or CASA for the child. In addition to the abuse and neglect cases, Indiana law allows for and Indiana courts are now frequently appointing CASA volunteers in custody and paternity cases. Although of the number of volunteers who provide an invaluable service to Indiana trial courts is remarkable, the need for more volunteers is ongoing.
National
The first volunteer Guardian Ad Litem program serving abused and neglected children was organized in 1977 in King County, Seattle, Washington. In the following years, word of the success of the King County program spread and similar programs were begun all over the United States.
Because some state statutes require the Guardian Ad Litem to be an attorney, the term CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) was coined to denote volunteers from the local community who had been trained to serve as advocates for children involved in court proceedings.
In 1982, the National CASA Association, Inc. was established to serve as an umbrella organization for the growing number of programs in the country. National CASA provides information, training, technical assistance, research, and hosts an annual national conference. Membership in National CASA is open to programs and individuals throughout the U.S.
Services & Resources
Our Office Hours
Mon-Fri 8am-4pm
Boone County Courthouse
304 Courthouse Square
Lebanon, IN 46052
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