Discretionary appointment of GAL
The court is permitted to appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) for an unrepresented respondent if they are under 18 years of age. Specifically, Wash. Rev. Stat. 7.105.105(11) states:
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, or as provided through alternative sources including, but not limited to, grants, local funding, or pro bono means, if the court deems it necessary, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for a petitioner or a respondent who is under 18 years of age and who is not represented by counsel. If a guardian ad litem is appointed by the court for either or both parties, neither the petitioner nor the respondent shall be required by the court to pay any costs associated with the appointment.
However, the General Provisions section governing the chapter on Civil Protection Orders does not provide a definition for “guardian ad litem”, so it is unclear whether the GAL must be an attorney. Accordingly, this major development is categorized as “does not affect.”
