Mandatory CLE for Title 11 GALS May 12 and 13
By Karen Perret
An unhappy side effect of the aging of our population and of medical advances that result in higher rates of survival of catastrophic events, is an increasing number of fragile people who are unable to care for themselves and manage their own affairs because of mental incapacity. Such individuals are potentially vulnerable to exploitation. They may also be belligerent, combative, or depressed, or even comatose.
The court may determine that such a person is in need of protection, and appoint a full guardian, whose duty it is to provide that protection under court supervision. RCW 11.88 provides that a Guardian ad Litem must be appointed in each case, to investigate and report to the court as to whether appointment of a guardian is warranted. Based on information gathered under the authority of a court order, the Guardian ad Litem must weigh the potential invasion of liberty and privacy, and the need for protection.
Guardians ad Litem are appointed from a registry of qualified and disinterested members of the community, including attorneys, mental health professionals and others.
To maintain a position on the registry, all Guardians ad Litem must attend an annual training session. The King County Bar Association presents a mandatory CLE each year for those who intend to apply for the registries in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
This year’s session will be presented at the Seattle Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue, May 12 and 13, 2005. New applicants for the Guardian ad Litem registry must attend both days as a prerequisite to qualification for the registry. Persons who intend to renew existing registry listings are only required to attend the second day.
This year’s CLE on the first day will follow the format of the statutory requirements the GAL’s report must cover. The second day is devoted to complex issues a Guardian ad Litem may encounter. Marsha Hudson and Constance Gould, with the assistance of Commissioner Eric Watness, have revised and streamlined the Guardian ad Litem manual for this year’s program.
The many issues and challenges for the Guardian ad Litem will be aired during the CLE. Speakers will be experienced practitioners, including attorneys, Certified Professional Guardians and mental health professionals. Members of the bench from several counties will provide the court’s perspective.
