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<blockquote data-quote="klmno" data-source="post: 256368" data-attributes="member: 3699"><p>DDD, I'm sure you were a wonderful GAL, but as you pointed out, not all of them are and sometimes it is just that they can't possibly know what is in the kid's best interest if they aren't looking deeper than what's on the surface, whether they have 20-40 hours training or not. At the risk of being chastised for re-hashing again, I will offer this first-hand experience of something that we lived thru 2 years ago.</p><p></p><p>difficult child was on trial for the brush fire and B&E. He had already been in mental health care and this incident happened within 10 days of having prozac doubled. I had told the arraigning judge that I had tried to get more mental health care for difficult child but couldn't, so the judge ordered the GAL to get involved. The GAL looks at difficult child's charges and his trouble at school and immediately called in dss to do a social assessment to see if anything was going on in the home- this is not the same as CPS investigation, but a review to see if there are family issues. Anyway, this spurred my bro, who had ALWAYS wanted custody because he'll never have a child, to start calling everyone in this county trying to get custody by bad-mouthing me and the GAL spoke to him on the phone several times.</p><p></p><p>At difficult child's first trial for these charges, there were no charges on me- I was there as his mother so I was not allowed to speak. DSS announced that they found NO reason to place difficult child outside of the home. The GAL announced to the judge that difficult child had a myspace page and an email address with a name in poor taste and that she was concerned about the home environment.</p><p></p><p>It took nearly a year before I had a chance to speak in court and address that. I was, fortunately, allowed to ask the GAL in front of the judge if she had ever asked difficult child if I allowed him to have these things on the computer and where he learned how to do them. I was finally able to let the judge know that it was my bro who had taught difficult child these things, behind my back after I had told both of them that I didn't allow it, and it was my bro who turned around and told the GAL about them to try to make me look bad- he didn't tell her of course, that he's the one that taught difficult child how to do it. She wanted proof- I told her to ask difficult child who taught him how to do those things, because I knew I wouldn't have had a clue how to. And the proof of the deceit- difficult child had already told me that his uncle had set him up because NO ONE knew he'd done those things except my bro- the one who taught him how to do it. Did GAL advocate for or even open a single door for me to get difficult child more mental health care like she was assigned to do? No. Not one.</p><p></p><p>On the surface, yes, it looked like difficult child was doing these things in the home, so it must be the mom allowing it and the uncle is trying to save the kid. Rather than asking me about it, the GAL told the judge when I had no chance to respond. The judge thought I was a horrible parent. The truth was that my bro was manipulating the carp out of several people, including difficult child. So, who's in the best interest of the child? And this is an uncle that tried to molest me as a teen. But, how could the GAL know that when she was not even discussing any of her communications or thoughts to have difficult child sent there with me? If she doesn't know who to believe- how about lie detector tests? </p><p></p><p>Did GAL advocate for or even open a single door for me to get difficult child more mental health care like she was assigned to do? No. Not one. But I ended up with a court order to provide it. This is only one example- there are many similar situations we've gone thru like this with this GAL. I can't begin to tell you the thousands of dollars I have spent and lost going thru carp this gal has lead us into with "her opinion". That was money that could have been spent for difficult child's care, restitution, etc. And for what? To still be going thru it. It costs this GAL NOTHING to go into court and throw out her opinion. All she does is run from courtrooom to courtroom doing stuff like that- she's a court appointment attny, assigned to be a gal and give her opinion. And yes I have rubbed her the wrong way- I asked her questions and clarify things in front of the judge every chance I get. </p><p></p><p>No offense to anyone, but being a GAL does not give one the all-knowing wisdom and insight of God. And if they aren't willing to discuss things with parents who have no arrest record, no accusation of abuse or neglect, have clearly advocated for the child, provided for the child, etc, they might just be a detriment to the child themselves.</p><p></p><p>Ok, I'll get off my soap box now.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="klmno, post: 256368, member: 3699"] DDD, I'm sure you were a wonderful GAL, but as you pointed out, not all of them are and sometimes it is just that they can't possibly know what is in the kid's best interest if they aren't looking deeper than what's on the surface, whether they have 20-40 hours training or not. At the risk of being chastised for re-hashing again, I will offer this first-hand experience of something that we lived thru 2 years ago. difficult child was on trial for the brush fire and B&E. He had already been in mental health care and this incident happened within 10 days of having prozac doubled. I had told the arraigning judge that I had tried to get more mental health care for difficult child but couldn't, so the judge ordered the GAL to get involved. The GAL looks at difficult child's charges and his trouble at school and immediately called in dss to do a social assessment to see if anything was going on in the home- this is not the same as CPS investigation, but a review to see if there are family issues. Anyway, this spurred my bro, who had ALWAYS wanted custody because he'll never have a child, to start calling everyone in this county trying to get custody by bad-mouthing me and the GAL spoke to him on the phone several times. At difficult child's first trial for these charges, there were no charges on me- I was there as his mother so I was not allowed to speak. DSS announced that they found NO reason to place difficult child outside of the home. The GAL announced to the judge that difficult child had a myspace page and an email address with a name in poor taste and that she was concerned about the home environment. It took nearly a year before I had a chance to speak in court and address that. I was, fortunately, allowed to ask the GAL in front of the judge if she had ever asked difficult child if I allowed him to have these things on the computer and where he learned how to do them. I was finally able to let the judge know that it was my bro who had taught difficult child these things, behind my back after I had told both of them that I didn't allow it, and it was my bro who turned around and told the GAL about them to try to make me look bad- he didn't tell her of course, that he's the one that taught difficult child how to do it. She wanted proof- I told her to ask difficult child who taught him how to do those things, because I knew I wouldn't have had a clue how to. And the proof of the deceit- difficult child had already told me that his uncle had set him up because NO ONE knew he'd done those things except my bro- the one who taught him how to do it. Did GAL advocate for or even open a single door for me to get difficult child more mental health care like she was assigned to do? No. Not one. On the surface, yes, it looked like difficult child was doing these things in the home, so it must be the mom allowing it and the uncle is trying to save the kid. Rather than asking me about it, the GAL told the judge when I had no chance to respond. The judge thought I was a horrible parent. The truth was that my bro was manipulating the carp out of several people, including difficult child. So, who's in the best interest of the child? And this is an uncle that tried to molest me as a teen. But, how could the GAL know that when she was not even discussing any of her communications or thoughts to have difficult child sent there with me? If she doesn't know who to believe- how about lie detector tests? Did GAL advocate for or even open a single door for me to get difficult child more mental health care like she was assigned to do? No. Not one. But I ended up with a court order to provide it. This is only one example- there are many similar situations we've gone thru like this with this GAL. I can't begin to tell you the thousands of dollars I have spent and lost going thru carp this gal has lead us into with "her opinion". That was money that could have been spent for difficult child's care, restitution, etc. And for what? To still be going thru it. It costs this GAL NOTHING to go into court and throw out her opinion. All she does is run from courtrooom to courtroom doing stuff like that- she's a court appointment attny, assigned to be a gal and give her opinion. And yes I have rubbed her the wrong way- I asked her questions and clarify things in front of the judge every chance I get. No offense to anyone, but being a GAL does not give one the all-knowing wisdom and insight of God. And if they aren't willing to discuss things with parents who have no arrest record, no accusation of abuse or neglect, have clearly advocated for the child, provided for the child, etc, they might just be a detriment to the child themselves. Ok, I'll get off my soap box now. [/QUOTE]
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