Supreme Court of Ohio Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Guardian ad Litem Rule and Practice Project:  Report on GAL Survey Monday, June 01, 2015

477 Total Responses Date Created: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 Complete Responses: 370

Q1: How many years have you been a Guardian ad Litem? Answered: 469 Skipped: 8

Q2: In what area(s) do you practice? Answered: 465 Skipped: 12

Q3: In what types of cases do you participate as GAL (please check all that apply)? Answered: 469 Skipped: 8

Q5: What is your professional background? Answered: 397 Skipped: 80

Q7: In approximately how many cases are you appointed per year? Answered: 444 Skipped: 33

Q8: What is the typical length of your Guardian ad Litem appointment? Answered: 457 Skipped: 20

Q9: In how many cases have you been reappointed (due to new filings and/or motions)? Answered: 369 Skipped: 108

Q10: What is your role when you are initially appointed? Answered: 446 Skipped: 31

Q13: Are there topics on which you would like to receive training in addition to the training specified in Sup. R. 48 (E)(3)(i.e., additional hours on a required topic or training on a new topic)?   If so, check all that apply. Answered: 390 Skipped: 87

Q14: From what provider do you take your Guardian ad Litem 3-hour trainings? Answered: 427 Skipped: 50

Q15: Do you believe the current GAL pre-service training offers adequate preparation for GALs in terms of number of hours and required topics? Answered: 443 Skipped: 34

Q16: Do you believe the current requirement for post-service annual training is adequate? Answered: 443 Skipped: 34

Q19: How is your order of appointment as a Guardian ad Litem provided? Answered: 396 Skipped: 81

Q20: How are you appointed as a Guardian ad Litem? Check all that apply. Answered: 361 Skipped: 116

Q22: Is there a local court rule, general practice order, or other procedure in place in your county or counties of practice that details a GAL’s responsibilities and GAL accountability for their actions? Answered: 352 Skipped: 125

Q24: Do you have access to comments or complaints made about you as a Guardian ad Litem? Answered: 307 Skipped: 170

Q25: Does your professional liability insurance cover your work as a Guardian ad Litem? Answered: 379 Skipped: 98

Q27: Does your court prescribe a report form that GALs must use? Answered: 386 Skipped: 91

Q28: If your court does not prescribe a report form that must be used by GALs, do you think such a form would be helpful? Answered: 335 Skipped: 142

Q29: If you think that a prescribed report form for GALs would be helpful, please indicate what should be included.

Q30: How far in advance of a dispositional hearing do you provide your report? Answered: 355 Skipped: 122

Q33: How are you paid as a Guardian ad Litem? Answered: 300 Skipped: 177

Q35: Has the failure of a party to pay your court-ordered GAL fees ever influenced or had any impact on your recommendations in your GAL report? Answered: 310 Skipped: 167

Q36: Does your court have a local rule or general practice order regarding the appointment or compensation of GALs in custody cases in which both parties or litigants are indigent? Answered: 320 Skipped: 157

Q37: How many times have you been appointed as a pro bono GAL? Answered: 329 Skipped: 148

Q38: Does your court maintain a list of pro bono GALs? Answered: 237 Skipped: 240

Q40: Would you like to be contacted to discuss GAL practice further? Answered: 331 Skipped: 146