GAL???
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Has anyone had much experience with a GAL? Both DH and BM have requested that the kids be assigned a GAL for the custody suit. One of the problems we have been having with the kids is BM and BM's mother teaching the kids to lie about what goes on at BMs and just lie in general. I am wondering if they convince the kids to lie to GAL if GAL will be able to tell? If GAL does suspect they have been convinced to say certain things will he tell the judge that? The family court system in WV is VERY biased to BMs I am just afraid that skids will lie and all we have been doing will be for nothing. I am trying to get an idea of what exactly a GAL does. I know they are like a lawyer that is just for the children but other than that I have no idea.
Right now they have joint
Right now they have joint custody with BM being the primary (we have the kids Friday night to Sunday night). They have 50/50 for medical, school, taxes, etc. I don't know a lot about this kind of stuff so that is just the way the lawyer explained it to me.
I have never had a positive
I have never had a positive experience with a GAL. In my opinion, this position should only be able to be occupied by people who have a BA/BS in psychiatry minimum specifically for reasons you are stating above. No state is ever going to pay enough for that, though. Quite the contrary, it seems most GALs are on a power trip; they can tell you what to do and have the most important thing to a parent to hold over the heads as leverage. And no, unless you get a diamond in the rough, your GAL will not be able to tell they're regurgitating lies from their mom.
The first GAL we had was a
The first GAL we had was a joke! Really only because she didnt do her job. She just met with us for an hour and then made her decision. Now the 2nd GAL actually did something. BM was suppose to meet up at GAL's office but BM kept dodging her calls and not showing up to appts. GAL WENT to BM's house, found BM and was was very involved with the case. She even went to the custody hearings and asked witnesses questions and they dont usually do that. GAL even put her opinion in the court order as to what she thinks should happen. The GAL we had was VERY good at telling wether somebody was lying or telling the truth. You just have to remember a lot of GALs have bad names but not all GALs are shitty at their jobs.
Thanks for everyone's
Thanks for everyone's comments. I am worried to death with all of the lying that BM and grandma have been having the skids do to us and since BM and grandma are experts at lying and manipulating that they are convincing the kids to lie to anyone who talks to them about the custody case.