Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation:
Senate Bill 1018, Relating to Guardians Ad Litem
Sponsored by Senator Arthenia Joyner and Representative Kelli Stargel
Senate Bill 1018 expands Florida’s ability to provide children with representation by a guardian ad litem during divorce or related proceedings. Currently, the court must appoint an attorney pro bono or paid for by the parents. Senate Bill 1018 expands the opportunity for a guardian ad litem to act in the best interest of the child, providing the court with an impartial perspective of the best interest of the child.
This legislation allows for a person certified by a not-for-profit legal aid organization to serve as a guardian ad litem in divorce or related proceedings. It also clarifies that only certified guardians ad litem may serve in dependency cases involving child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. In addition, it creates criminal penalties if a person makes a false statement in an application to become a guardian ad litem.
Senate Bill 1018, Relating to Guardians Ad Litem
Sponsored by Senator Arthenia Joyner and Representative Kelli Stargel
Senate Bill 1018 expands Florida’s ability to provide children with representation by a guardian ad litem during divorce or related proceedings. Currently, the court must appoint an attorney pro bono or paid for by the parents. Senate Bill 1018 expands the opportunity for a guardian ad litem to act in the best interest of the child, providing the court with an impartial perspective of the best interest of the child.
This legislation allows for a person certified by a not-for-profit legal aid organization to serve as a guardian ad litem in divorce or related proceedings. It also clarifies that only certified guardians ad litem may serve in dependency cases involving child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. In addition, it creates criminal penalties if a person makes a false statement in an application to become a guardian ad litem.
Senate Bill 918, Relating to Florida KidCare Program
Sponsored by Senator Nan Rich and Representative Jimmy Patronis
Senate Bill 918 builds on improvements made in 2008 to the Florida KidCare program by increasing enrollment eligibility and improving administration and implementation procedures. The legislation provides more immediate health care coverage, decreases the time required for determining eligibility, and streamlines the financial eligibility process by allowing electronic verification of family incomes. Under the new legislation, more than 54,000 children will be eligible for KidCare.
Source:
Governor Crist Signs Child Advocacy Legislation
3 comments:
I don't know but at first thought, I don't think this is good.
It's the court reaching further and further into the family's affairs -- that's not good overall. Sometimes, of course, it's necessary but I would think those are rare occasions.
"...providing the court with an impartial perspective of the best interest of the child." That's a good one. This doesn't happen with adults. Why would it happen with children?
Court appointed GAL's are appointed by the litigants
attorneys and the Judge rubber stamps it. If the parents have money, these GALS are used to 'drag' on custody cases and a free to takes sides in favor of an attorney. There is too much leaway in the Law governing GAL's and their duties for abuse and misconduct. They hire
professionals that the Judge rubber stamps who are paid (at the parents expense) to say whatever the attorney wants. They do not utilize their profession's standard measures and best practices tools for evals and assessment; rather, they use 'interview' meetings to allow them to fabricate their reports for the legal plan of the Attorney. ex: Lawyer files
unsubstantiated 'alienation of a parent' claims and hires a forensic psychologist to meet with the parent and the report
'establishes' the bogus charge as GOSPEl.
Happening all over the country in Family court and making divorce litigations drag on for months even years unneccessaily for the profit of the lawyers and their professionals to achieve the 'plan' they
cooked up. This harms
children and family relationships causing increased emotional trauma and expense.
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