Guardian ad Litem Handbook (forms included)

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Published by: State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE
ISBN: 978-1-57862-529-1 770+ pp.; 6th ed. 2024-25 (Includes 2026-27 supplement) includes forms
Guardian ad Litem Handbook (forms included)

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Whether you’re looking for guidance on just the basics of being a guardian ad litem, or you need detailed help with the most complex issues, you’ll find it in The Guardian ad Litem Handbook.

The 2026-2027 supplement includes a number of changes such as

  • Additional references to recent Wisconsin appellate court opinions that discussed issues arising in cases involving termination of parental rights, protective placement, and orders for recommitment
  • Modified and new statutory discussions, reflecting legislative amendments affecting matters such as the relinquishment of newborn children, the relocation of a child in an action affecting the family, crimes against adults at risk, and psychiatric residential treatment facilities for individuals under age 21
  • References to a 2026 memorandum of the U.S. Department of Justice stating a new position about whether states must provide services to people with disabilities in the most integrated settings available
  • A revised discussion about the concept of attachment during early childhood development, incorporating recent research on the topic

The supplement also updates appendices in the Handbook to reflect a 2025 revision to the Domestic Abuse Guidebook for Wisconsin Guardians ad Litem and to provide a revised listing of resources for adults with disabilities.

The 2024-2025 revision includes a number of changes such as:

  • Additional references to recent Wisconsin appellate court opinions that discussed issues arising in cases involving termination of parental rights, guardianship and protective placement, and orders for civil commitment, recommitment, and extensions of commitment
  • Guidance from a formal opinion issued by the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Committee on Professional Ethics in 2023 (revised in 2024) concerning the conflicts of interest that might arise out of an attorney’s service as a guardian ad litem
  • Revision of a former discussion about parental alienation, modified to provide a broader perspective and updated discussion of parent-child contact problems (e.g., in high-conflict divorce cases)
  • The Wisconsin Legislature’s creation of a new out-of-home care placement option, under the Wisconsin Children’s Code, with a person who is “like-kin”
  • Updated information about the compensation rates for court-appointed private bar attorneys, which the legislature increased as of July 1, 2023

Topics include:

  • The Guardian ad Litem: An Overview
  • Children: The Human Side
  • Family Court: Chapter 767
  • Juvenile Court: Chapter 48
  • Adults with Mental Disabilities: The Human Side
  • Guardianship: Chapter 54
  • Protective Services and Protective Placement: Chapter 55
  • State Mental Health Act: Chapter 51
  • Probate Court
  • Personal Injury

For an in depth view of the content in this book, please click to view Table of Contents.

State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® is the premier publisher of practice guides and handbooks for Wisconsin's attorneys, written by Wisconsin's attorneys. PINNACLE relies on the expertise and contributions of volunteers from within the State Bar of Wisconsin membership to help develop and deliver timely, relevant information to assist Wisconsin's attorneys provide the highest-quality representation and service.

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