Independent reference · Updated October 2026

Guardian ad Litem
Resources for Every State

A state-by-state guide to how guardian ad litem and CASA work actually happens: who appoints the GAL, what the statute requires, how the case moves through court, and where to find local help for a child. Written for volunteers, for parents who have a GAL in their case, and for the professionals around them. Free, no account, no affiliation with any court or program.

50State guides
50Handbook PDFs
39Topic guides
0Logins or paywalls

Start here

Three kinds of people land on this site. Pick the one that fits and you will skip most of the searching.

You are a volunteer, or thinking about becoming one

Read how to become a guardian ad litem volunteer for the application, screening and training path, then GAL vs. CASA vs. attorney ad litem so the titles in your state make sense. Before your first assignment, your first GAL case walks through the first 30 days. Then open your state's page from the grid below. It carries the governing statute, the hearing sequence, your reporting duties and the local agencies you will call.

A guardian ad litem was appointed in your case

If you are a parent or a party in a custody or dependency case, the guides in the For Families section explain the process in plain language: what a GAL costs and who pays, how to prepare for the home visit, what is in the GAL report and what to do if you disagree, and how to file a complaint. These pages describe procedure. They are not legal advice about your case, and nothing here replaces a lawyer who knows your file.

You work in the system

Attorneys, caseworkers, program coordinators and court staff use the state pages for the statute citations, the hearing timelines and the ICWA guidance, and the volunteer guides on court reports, ICWA and reasonable efforts as orientation material to hand to new volunteers.

What is on a state page

Every one of the 50 state pages is built to the same outline so a volunteer who moves, or a program that trains across state lines, can find the same thing in the same place. Each page runs several thousand words and covers:

  • The program. Who runs GAL or CASA in that state (a court program, a state agency, a nonprofit network), how volunteers are appointed and supervised, and the statute that creates the role, cited by section number.
  • The court process. From the petition through the shelter or detention hearing, adjudication, disposition, review hearings and permanency, with the statutory timelines that apply in that state.
  • Your role and your report. What the GAL is expected to investigate, who they may interview, what goes in the court report and when it is due.
  • ICWA. How the Indian Child Welfare Act applies, the federally recognized tribes in that state, and the notice and placement requirements a GAL has to watch for.
  • Local and statewide resources. Mental health, substance use, housing, education, legal aid and military-family resources, with the agency names and contacts a volunteer actually uses.
  • The handbook PDF. The full state handbook as a downloadable file for reading offline or printing for a training binder.

Two examples to see the depth: North Carolina, where the program sits inside the Administrative Office of the Courts under G.S. 7B-601, and California, where CASA volunteers work under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300 and the state's own ICWA protections in AB 3176.

Latest guides

New guides are added on weekdays. The most recent five:

Reading a Psychological Evaluation as a CASA or GAL Volunteer (Nov 02, 2026)

Guardian ad Litem in Pennsylvania Custody and Dependency Cases: Rules, Reports and Cost (Nov 02, 2026)

Guardian ad Litem vs. Custody Evaluator vs. Parenting Coordinator: Who Does What in a Custody Case (Oct 28, 2026)

CASA Sibling Visitation Advocacy: Pushing for Sibling Visits and Placement Together (Oct 27, 2026)

Confidentiality for GAL and CASA Volunteers: What You Can and Cannot Share (Oct 26, 2026)

See all guides

All 50 states

Select your state for the full handbook, statutes, court process, local contacts and the PDF download.

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

National resources

The cross-cutting organizations a GAL in any state will use.

Federal Law & Policy

CAPTA, ASFA, ICWA, FFPSA, and other federal statutes governing child welfare and GAL appointment.

childwelfare.gov →

NCASAGAL

National Court Appointed Special Advocates / Guardian ad Litem Association. Training, advocacy, and program support for GAL programs nationwide.

casaforchildren.org →

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Premier national resource on childhood trauma. Tools for child welfare professionals, caregivers, and educators.

nctsn.org →

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Federal clearinghouse maintained by the U.S. Children's Bureau. Extensive library on foster care, adoption, and family support.

childwelfare.gov →

🆘 SAMHSA National Helpline

Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral for substance use disorders. Available in English and Spanish.

1-800-662-4357 samhsa.gov →

National Children's Alliance

Accrediting body for Child Advocacy Centers nationwide. Standards and resources for CACs serving abused children.

nationalchildrensalliance.org →

How this site is maintained

The GAL National Database is an independent reference project. It is not run by, funded by, or affiliated with any court, state GAL program, CASA network or bar association, and it does not accept listings or payment from attorneys or agencies for inclusion. It is maintained by one editor.

Each state page is researched against primary sources: the state's own GAL or CASA program site, the governing statute, the court's published rules and forms, and the agencies named on the page. Outside links are checked when a page is written. Laws, phone numbers and filing deadlines change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with your supervising GAL staff or an attorney before relying on it in a proceeding. The full policy, including how corrections are handled, is on the About page.

Found something out of date? Email contact@nationalgal.org with the state, the item and a source link. Corrections are made on the page and noted in its update line.

Common questions

What is a guardian ad litem?

A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a person appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child in a legal proceeding, most often an abuse, neglect or dependency case or a contested custody case. Depending on the state, the GAL may be a trained volunteer, a staff advocate or an attorney. The GAL investigates, reports to the court and makes recommendations; the GAL does not decide the case.

Is a GAL the same as a CASA?

Often, in practice, but not always by title. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is a national network of volunteer programs. In many states the CASA volunteer is appointed as the child's guardian ad litem. In others the GAL is an attorney and the CASA volunteer serves alongside them. The GAL vs. CASA vs. attorney ad litem guide and your state's page explain which arrangement applies.

Do I need a law degree to be a GAL volunteer?

No. In the states that use volunteer GALs, the requirements are typically age 21 or older, a background check, an interview, 30 or so hours of pre-service training and a time commitment of roughly 10 to 15 hours a month. Attorney GALs are a separate role with separate requirements. Details by state are on each state page.

Does it cost a family anything when a GAL is appointed?

In abuse and neglect cases brought by the state, families are generally not charged; the program or the court covers it. In private custody cases, a GAL is usually a paid professional and the court decides how the fee is split between the parties. The cost guide covers the typical ranges and what to do if you cannot afford your share.

Can this site tell me what to do in my case?

No. The pages explain how the process works in general and in each state. They are not legal advice and no one here can review your file. For your own case, talk to your attorney, your local legal aid office or your state bar's lawyer referral service.

Who writes this, and how often is it updated?

One editor, working from primary sources. State pages are reviewed on a rolling basis and each carries an edition year. Topic guides carry an updated date at the top. The guides section grows on weekdays.