Vol. 75, No. 2, February
2002
Supreme Court issues final order on
eligibility for appointment as guardian ad litem
In November, the supreme court issued its final order, 01-07,
creating new eligibility requirements for attorneys who accept
appointments as guardian ad litems for minors under Wis. Stat. chapter
767.
The petition, which was supported by the Family Law Section, was
filed in April 2001 by the Joint Legislative Council. "The Family Law
Section supported the Joint Legislative Council Special Committee's
conclusion that attorneys practicing as guardians ad litem should
receive ongoing relevant education in order to effectively represent the
best interests of children in family law disputes," said Family Law
Section Chair Cheryl Gemignani.
The court orders that, effective July 1, 2003, a lawyer may not
accept an appointment by a court as a guardian ad litem for a minor
unless he or she has attended six hours of guardian ad litem education
approved under SCR 35.03. At least three of the six hours shall be
family court guardian ad litem education approved under SCR 35.03 (1m),
unless the appointing court finds that the action or proceeding presents
exceptional or unusual circumstances for which the lawyer is otherwise
qualified by experience or expertise to represent the best interests of
the minor.
"The order also specifies the elements of guardian ad litem education
that an attorney acting as a guardian ad litem in family court must
receive," said Gemignani. "The rationale for this change is that, due to
the level of conflict in family law cases for which a guardian ad litem
is appointed, the committee concluded that a guardian ad litem with
additional education in areas such as child development and family
dynamics could better formulate a recommendation to serve a child's best
interests."
The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) approves guardian ad litem education
courses and continuing legal education activities on the following
subject matter: proceedings under chapter 767 of the statutes; child
development and the effects of conflict and divorce on children; mental
health issues in divorcing families; the dynamics and impact of family
violence; and sensitivity to various religious backgrounds, racial and
ethnic heritages; and issues of cultural and socioeconomic
diversity.
The BBE will approve courses of instruction or continuing legal
education activities that are conducted after June 1, 2002.
State Law Library moves to new
location, reinstates after-hours service
The Wisconsin State Law Library moved to its new facility
in the Risser Justice Center at 120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in
Madison in January.
The State Law Library once again is offering after-hours service.
Users of this service can access the State Law Library Monday - Friday
from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight, and Saturdays and Sundays
from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. When combined with the library's regular hours of
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, this is 122 hours per week of
library access, in a facility with more space, new furnishings, and a
comfortable study environment regardless of the season. After-hours
users can access the public computer network, which provides free onsite
access to the library catalog, Legal Resource Index to law review and
journal article citations, Shepard's, LOIS, and the Internet.
The cost of this service through Dec. 31, 2002, is $75,
which includes a key tag to permit convenient entry into the library,
eliminating the need to sign in for each after hours visit.
For more information, contact Connie Von Der Heide,
Reference/Outreach Services Librarian, at (608) 267-2202, (800)
322-9755, or wsll.state.wi.us.
Wisconsin Lawyer
