Guardian Ad Litem in Illinois
Guardian Ad Litem for Children in Cases of Domestic Violence, Allocation of Parental Responsibility and Parenting Time in Kane County
Rachel Hernandez of Bruckner Hernandez Legal Solutions, LLC attended law school with a goal of working on behalf of children and families in crisis. Additionally, she serves as a court-appointed Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) in Kane County. Overall, in Illinois, a GAL is an attorney, appointed by the court in cases involving disputes related to parenting responsibilities and parenting time. Also, the GAL makes recommendations in accordance with the best interests of the child. Furthermore, courts may appoint a GAL who will work with children and their families to help determine their best interests and then testify regarding those interests to the court.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Guardian Ad Litem?
When appointed by the court, a Guardian Ad Litem investigates the facts of the case and interviews the children and the parties involved. Afterward, the GAL either submits a report or testifies to the court regarding his or her recommendations based on what the children’s best interests are. In addition, the designated attorney may also participate as a witness in a hearing or trial to address or further expand on his or her recommendations.
A Dedicated Guardian Ad Litem
Oftentimes, Attorney Hernandez can serve as Guardian Ad Litem in many family court cases and situations such as:
- Domestic violence. Attorney Hernandez draws on her experience as an Assistant State’s Attorney. Due to this background, she has experience with handling cases in which children were alleged to have been abused or neglected or where children lived in homes in which violence took place.
- Allocation of parental responsibilities (Formerly Custody). Occasionally, parents cannot agree on an allocation of parental responsibilities and/or parenting time. As a GAL, Attorney Hernandez will make recommendations on how parenting time and decision-making responsibilities regarding the child(ren) should be shared between parents.
- Education. Frequently, unmarried parents disagree on decisions with regard to the education of their child(ren). Thus, the Court may appoint a GAL. Notably, either party may request a GAL, too.
- General Welfare. In the event of allegations of abuse, neglect, or substance abuse, Rachel assesses the situation from the perspective of serving the best interests of the child(ren) involved. Then, she can suggest ways in which their interests can be best served going forward.
Family Law in St. Charles, IL and DeKalb, IL
If you require the assistance of a skilled and understanding attorney, consult Bruckner Hernandez Legal Solutions, LLC today. From start to finish, Rachel Nicole Hernandez & Sandra Petras Bruckner make sure you are comfortable with the process. Call our St. Charles, Illinois, office today at 630-888-0017 or contact us online. Overall, we serve clients in Kane and DeKalb Counties, including, but not limited, to the communities of St. Charles, Geneva, Elgin, Batavia, Aurora, DeKalb, and Sycamore.
Services Offered by Our Family Law Firm
Collaborative Divorce
Holistically, the collaborative divorce process promotes mutual and joint problem solving between spouses, allowing them to avoid litigation and develop a new relationship.
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Uncontested Divorce
Ideally, spouses should agree to part ways amicably after a separation. In these instances, proceeding with an uncontested divorce may be the best strategy to party ways peacefully.
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Child Issues
Overall, divorce creates a strenuous circumstance, especially for children. Thus, we minimize the family's impact while promoting a beneficial environment.
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Mediation
Mediation entails an "out-of-court solution". Because of this, mediation allows the parties to resolve legal issues in a comparably amicable, cost-effective manner.
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Marital Agreements
Before or during marriage, Marital Agreements help spouses to protect their assets and/or family business in the event of a divorce. Additionally, Marital Agreements lay out financial roles.
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Guardian Ad Litem
Frequently, Attorney Rachel Hernandez acts as a Guardian Ad Litem in some cases. For these cases, the court-appointed GAL assists the court with disputes involving children, particularly in regard to abuse or neglect.
Limited Scope Representation
On occasion, clients may not need or want full representation, we offer Limited Scope Representation. Due to this approach, clients receive customized legal guidance based on their unique challenges.
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