You are here

GAL

sassymom's picture

Submitted by sassymom on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 12:40pm

Can anyone tell me what to except and if they are help in a custody battle. Our lawyer said we should get one so now I'm looking for info. thanks for any help you can give me.

Comments

sassymom's picture

Submitted by sassymom on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:09pm

Thanks ours will be a nasty battle and has been so far. So were hopeful that G.A.L. will be helpful.

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." -- A Jewish Proverb

GoingNuts's picture

Submitted by GoingNuts on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:11pm

I hope you have a good GAL. Our GAL turned on us last minute because BM 's dad called him and talked him into speaking with SD after he told SD what to say. I wish you the best of luck.

Sita Tara's picture

Submitted by Sita Tara on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 2:20pm

Ours was integral in winning our case. It came down to BM discouraging SD's cooperation with GAL and child psychologist. BM actually told SD she could not trust them and to not say anything bad about BM. Then when that didn't work BM guessed a few things that SD told GAL and psych Dr and SD believed they were telling BM everything. SD told the Dr what her mom said, and then the Dr confirmed it with GAL. That was it.

But as DH likes to say, we had a cooperative enemy in BM. She couldn't act sane to save herself.

So my advice is to not be intimidated by GAL. To make sure you share mostly facts, not emotions with them. I used to type our letters to GAL about 10 times, each time editing out anything that could be construed as a negative statement about BM's character, until I was down to the facts only. This was helpful in our case as well.

Goodluck!
Peace, love, and red wine

smurfy1smile's picture

Submitted by smurfy1smile on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 8:18pm

We had 2 GALs for my very nasty custody battle. The first one started out nice but ended up thinking the sun rose and set on my ex. She turns on me in the court room and stated I was a flight risk!. My attorney and the rest of us were shocked. I have live in the same state and within the same 30 raduis for 17 plus years (11 years back then). The second GAL was a man and a former minister. He was awesome. He cut though the crap and would not put up with my ex's whining and complaining and all the accusations he through my way.

I had another GAL for another case. My middle daughter was the victum of a crime when she was little. The county attorney wanted her to testify and I refused. I got a pro bono lawyer and the court appointed at GAL for my daughter. In the end with the help of the GAL, my daughter did not have to testify. County attorney took me before the judge 3 times and everytime her request was denied.

Good luck it won't be a fair fight.
Check the laws in your state regarding custody and criminals.