GUARDIAN AD LITEM RULE 7:
                      GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES


     Each court shall promulgate rules that set out or refer to
policies and procedures establishing and governing the filing,
investigating, and adjudicating grievances made by or against
guardians ad litem under Titles, 11, 13, and 26 RCW.  The rules
shall, at a minimum, comply with and address the following:

     (a) Clear and concise.  The rules shall be clear, and
concise and easily understood by both attorneys and non-
attorneys.

     (b) Separate procedures. The rules shall establish separate
procedures addressing grievances or complaints filed during the
pendency of a case, and grievances or complaints filed subsequent
to the conclusion of a case.

     (c) Fair treatment of grievances.  The rules shall establish
procedures providing for fair treatment of grievances including
appearance-of-fairness and conflict issues.

     (d) CASA grievance procedures.  Where applicable, local
rules shall accommodate the grievance procedures of Court
Appointed Special Advocate(s) (CASA) or other volunteer
program(s).

     (e) Confidentiality.  The rules shall provide for
confidentiality of complaints until merit has been found.

     (f) Response to complaint.  The rules shall provide a
procedure for any guardian ad litem who is the subject of a
complaint to respond to the complaint.

     (g) Complaint resolution time standards.  The rules shall
include a time limit during which a complaint must be resolved.
The limit shall not be longer than 25 days for complaints filed
while a case is pending or 60 days for complaints filed
subsequent to the conclusion of a case.

     (h) Records of grievances.  For its own reference purposes,
the court shall maintain a record of grievances filed and of any
sanctions issued pursuant to local court grievance procedure.

     (i) Removal from registry.  When a guardian ad litem is
removed from a county’s registry pursuant to the disposition of a
grievance, the court of that county shall send notice of such
removal to the Office of the Administrator of the Courts, who
shall on a regular basis, but not less than biannually, forward
the information to the superior courts of each county in the
state of Washington.

     (j) Implementation.  Local court rules establishing a
grievance procedure shall be filed in the manner provided
in GR 7.


[Adopted effective November 27, 2001.