As a Guardian ad Litem, Children's Law Center functions in four legal areas:

Domestic Violence (Chapter 50B – newly amended)
High Conflict Custody (Chapter 50)
Abuse and Neglect (Chapter 7B)
Education Issues

Domestic Violence (Chapter 50B)
We represent children through a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), or attorney in domestic violence cases. Per year, CLC addresses or will address approximately 400 cases in the domestic violence arena. We expect to make a difference in the lives of children who find themselves involved in domestic violence by giving them an understanding of a nonviolent household and work toward stopping the perpetuation of violence from generation to generation.

High Conflict Custody (Chapter 50)
Representing children through a GAL in custody cases where either:
Legal Aid Society finds itself with a “conflict of interest” because they have represented or are currently representing one of the parents, or
by order of a District Court Judge

Abuse and Neglect (Chapter 7B)
Juvenile Court cases when the GAL state funded program finds itself with a legal “conflict of interest” and needs a GAL outside of its program. These are “abuse, neglect and dependency” cases involving the Department of Social Services (DSS) in Juvenile Court. For example, CLC placed a baby in an educated home of a relative when that baby had been given away at a gas station in Winston-Salem.

Education Issues
CLC handles 2 – 3 cases or issues per week during the school year, in the education arena. In the education arena, CLC works with the school attorney in disciplinary actions.

The role of the Guardian ad Litem is to:

• Investigate parties, children, third parties (teachers, neighbors, witnesses, friends, doctors, and family members)
• Make home visits of both parties, with and without child present
• Review relevant records (criminal/civil, school records, etc.)
• Prepare report (make findings of the investigation and make recommendations to the judge, such as parenting classes, anger management classes, psychological help for the child/parent, etc.)
• Attend hearing to advocate for the child’s best interest

The cases for the pro bono guardian ad litem generally extend from 10-45 days