What does a guardian ad litem do in a custody case?

In California, a court may elect to appoint a guardian ad litem, or GAL, who in a child custody case. Properly speaking, a GAL is called a “child custody evaluator” in this state. Although some residents of Corte Madera and the greater Bay Area may have some idea of what a GAL does, many might not be familiar with the term or the role they play in child custody disputes.