LGALR 7
                             GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES


7.1  Purpose statement.

The procedure for handling grievances and/or imposing discipline against a
guardian ad litem provided hereunder are intended to facilitate a process which
is fair, expedited, and protective of all participants.

7.2  Procedure for Filing a Grievance.

7.2.1  Filing the Grievance.  Only a party to a case may file a grievance
against a guardian ad litem.  The grievance must be in writing and filed with
the Court Administrator.  The complaint must state with specificity the act or
failure to act of concern to the complaining party and shall include the
following information:

    (a)  The name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if any)
         of the person filing the grievance;

    (b)  The case number and case name;

    (c)  The name of the judge or court commissioner hearing the case;

    (d)  The trial date;

    (e)  Whether the party filing the grievance has discussed the complaint with
         the guardian ad litem;

    (f)  What action the guardian ad litem has taken to address the complaint;

    (g)  Which provision of the Order Appointing Guardian Ad Litem or of these rules the
         party filing the grievance is claiming the guardian ad litem has violated;

    (h)  A brief, concise statement of the specific facts underlying each alleged violation;

    (i)  What the party filing the grievance is requesting be done to correct the
         problem complained of and why.

7.2.2     Grievances Filed During the pendency of a Case.

    (a)  If the grievance pertains to a pending case or if trial in the pending
case is underway, the Court Administrator shall, within three business days of
receipt, forward the grievance to the presiding or assigned judicial officer to
handle the grievance with a copy being sent to the affected guardian ad litem.

    (b)  Within three business days of receiving the grievance, the judicial
officer shall make an initial determination of whether or not there is adequate
cause to proceed with the grievance.

    (c)  If the initial determination is that the grievance is without adequate
cause, the matter will be closed and all parties will be so notified.  The
grievance shall be held as a confidential, sealed record in the files of the
Court Administrator for six years following dismissal of the grievance unless
specifically directed otherwise by the judicial officer making the initial determination.

    (d)  If the initial determination is that there is adequate cause to proceed
with the grievance, the guardian ad litem shall be allowed to file a response
to the grievance within fourteen days of receiving notice from the court by
forwarding a copy of the response to the complaining party with the original
response being sent to the Court Administrator who will deliver same to the
judicial officer making the initial determination.

    (e)  Upon receipt of the response from the guardian ad litem or upon passage of
the fourteen day response period, whichever is sooner, the judicial officer
shall review the response and thereafter issue a final written or oral
disposition of the matter no later than twenty-five days following the filing
of the grievance.  The original copy of a written disposition or a transcript
of an oral disposition shall be placed in the grievance file with copies of the
written disposition being forwarded to the complaining party and to the
guardian ad litem.

    (f)  If the final written disposition is that the grievance should be
dismissed, the procedure with regard to retention of the grievance set forth in
paragraph 7.2.2(c) above shall be followed.  If, as part of the final
disposition, there has been a finding that the grievance was not brought in
good faith or was otherwise frivolous or designed to impact the pending
proceedings through increased costs to the other party or guardian ad litem,
terms in the form of costs or other sanctions may be imposed against the
grieving party.

    (g)  If the final written disposition is that the grievance was brought in
good faith and has been determined to be well-founded, there shall be a method
of discipline to be imposed upon the guardian ad litem set forth in the
disposition which shall take effect immediately.  Accepted forms of discipline
shall consist of one or more of the following:  (1) a verbal or written
reprimand, (2) removal from the pending case; (3) suspension of the guardian ad
litem from the registry for a period not to exceed ninety days, (4) suspension
of the guardian ad litem from the registry until such time as the guardian ad
litem has provided satisfactory proof of completing additional training in a
specific area described in the disposition, (5) imposition of terms in the form
of costs or other monetary sanctions, and/or (6) permanent removal of the
guardian ad litem from the registry for Title 11, Title 13, and/or Title 26
cases.  If the discipline imposed is permanent removal from any guardian ad
litem registry, notification of same shall be forwarded to the Office of the
Administrator for the Courts for circulation to other counties. The
confidential file of the grievance shall include the original grievance, the
guardian ad litem's response, and the written initial and final dispositions of
the matter and shall be maintained by the Court Administrator for a period for
no less than six years.

    (h)  Timelines stated herein may be modified by the judicial officer for
good cause.   In calculating times, items mailed shall be deemed received by
the addressee three days after the date of mailing.

7.2.3  Grievances Filed After the Conclusion of a Case or After Discharge of
the Guardian Ad Litem.

    If the grievance pertains to a case in which final orders have been entered or
an order discharging the guardian ad litem has been entered, the Court
Administrator shall, within five business days, forward the grievance to the
judicial officer who presided over the trial in the case or who signed the
final orders/order of discharge with a copy to the affected guardian ad litem.
Thereafter, the procedures set forth in section 7.2.2 shall be followed except
that five additional business days shall be added to each subsequent deadline
indicated in that section.