By James McCabe, editor · How this site is researched
Your custody case now has a third professional in it, and the titles are blurring together. One order appointed a guardian ad litem. Another talks about a custody evaluation. Someone at the courthouse mentioned a parenting coordinator. These are three different jobs with three different rules. This guide separates them using the text of Florida's chapter 61, California's Rule of Court 5.220 and public guidance from the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).
The short version
- A guardian ad litem (GAL) investigates for the court and reports on the child's best interests. In Florida's words, the GAL acts as "next friend of the child, investigator or evaluator, not as attorney or advocate" (Fla. Stat. 61.403).
- A custody evaluator is a licensed mental health professional who studies the family and writes a report with a recommended parenting plan. California calls this a child custody evaluation under Family Code 3111 and Rule 5.220. Florida calls it a social investigation under section 61.20.
- A parenting coordinator comes after the custody order. The job is to help parents carry out the parenting plan and settle day-to-day disputes. Florida describes it as "a nonadversarial dispute resolution process" (Fla. Stat. 61.125).
- Typically the parents pay for all three unless a program or fee waiver applies. The GAL and the evaluator report to the judge; the parenting coordinator does not decide custody.
Side by side
| Guardian ad litem | Custody evaluator | Parenting coordinator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Investigate and report on best interests | Assess the family and recommend a parenting plan | Help parents follow the plan and resolve conflicts |
| Who | Attorney or trained volunteer, depending on the state | Psychologist, clinical social worker, therapist or counselor | Mental health or legal professional with specific training |
| Writes a report? | Yes, filed with the court | Yes, filed with the court | Sometimes; in some states the process is confidential |
| Who decides | The judge | The judge | The parents, with limited decisions by the coordinator if the order allows |
The guardian ad litem: an investigator for the judge
A GAL gathers facts. Under Fla. Stat. 61.403(1), the GAL "may investigate the allegations of the pleadings affecting the child" and, with notice, interview the child, witnesses and anyone with information about the child's welfare. Section 61.403(2) lets the GAL ask the court for an order to inspect and copy records about the child. Section 61.403(5) requires a written report, which "may include recommendations and a statement of the wishes of the child," served on the parties at least 20 days before the hearing unless the judge waives that deadline.
In practice a GAL typically meets each parent, visits each home, talks with the child in a setting that fits the child's age, and calls a teacher or a pediatrician. The GAL does not run psychological tests and does not write a clinical opinion. Who serves differs by state: Florida uses certified volunteers and attorneys; some states use only attorneys. Our guide on what a guardian ad litem does in a custody case goes deeper, and the Florida and California state pages list each state's program.
The custody evaluator: a clinical assessment
Florida's section 61.20(2) lists who may conduct a social investigation: qualified court staff, a licensed child-placing agency, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist or mental health counselor. The written study with recommendations goes to the court and all parties of record. Under section 61.20(3), the parents pay unless a party qualifies for an indigence certification.
California's Rule of Court 5.220 shows how much more structured an evaluation is. The evaluator must give the parties a written explanation of the process, including "report distribution, confidentiality limits, and costs" (Rule 5.220(e)(1)). Data collection must let the evaluator "observe and consider each party in comparable ways" (Rule 5.220(e)(2)). The report must present "all relevant information, including information that does not support the conclusions reached" (Rule 5.220(f)(1)). The evaluator must not pressure a child to state a preference (Rule 5.220(j)(7)) and must not recommend anything about a party who was not evaluated (Rule 5.220(j)(3)). The California courts' self-help page on child custody evaluations says an investigation "generally takes at least 2 months," that parents usually pay a fee, and that you should receive the report at least 10 days before the hearing.
A typical evaluation includes separate interviews with each parent and the child, observation of each parent with the child, record review, and sometimes psychological testing. If you disagree with the result, the California page describes asking for a hearing and, for conduct concerns, contacting the court's Family Court Services director or the licensing board. Our guide on responding to a GAL report you disagree with covers the parallel steps for a GAL.
The parenting coordinator: help after the order
A parenting coordinator usually enters only after a parenting plan exists and the parents keep returning to court. Florida's section 61.125(2) calls it "a child-focused alternative dispute resolution process" in which the coordinator helps parents carry out the plan and may make "limited decisions" only "with the prior approval of the parents and the court." Under section 61.125(3), the court can refer parents on its own motion, on a party's motion or by agreement. Section 61.125(7) says the court "may not order the parties to parenting coordination without their consent" unless it finds they can pay the fees, and section 61.125(4)(a) bars a referral after a history of domestic violence unless both parents consent. Section 61.125(8) makes communications in the process confidential, with listed exceptions.
AFCC's family guide, Understanding the Parenting Coordination Process, describes the work as education, case management and conflict resolution for high-conflict cases, and says "any decisions made by the PC are subject to the review of the court." It advises choosing a coordinator who has not already served the family as evaluator, mediator, therapist or guardian ad litem.
Why the labels matter to you
A GAL or evaluator asks questions that end up in a filed report the judge reads. A parenting coordinator works toward agreements, and in a state with confidentiality rules the session may never reach the judge. None of the three represents you. If you are not sure which role a professional holds, the appointment order names the role, the statute or rule it rests on, and who pays in what share. The guides hub has related articles, including guardian ad litem cost and who pays.
Florida's chapter 61 and California's Rule 5.220 are examples, not a national standard. Your state's statute or court rule, and the appointment order in your case, control.
Common questions
Is a guardian ad litem the same as a custody evaluator?
No. A guardian ad litem investigates and reports on the child's best interests, and may be an attorney or a trained volunteer. A custody evaluator is a licensed mental health professional who assesses the family and recommends a parenting plan. Some states use one role, some use both.
What does a parenting coordinator do that a guardian ad litem does not?
A parenting coordinator works after a custody order exists, helping parents follow the plan and resolve day-to-day disputes. A guardian ad litem works before the order, gathering facts for the judge. Under Florida's section 61.125, a coordinator may make limited decisions only with the prior approval of the parents and the court.
Who pays for a custody evaluation or a parenting coordinator?
Typically the parents, in shares set by the appointment order. Florida's section 61.20(3) makes parents responsible for a social investigation unless a party has an indigence certification, and section 61.125(7) bars a parenting coordination order without consent unless the court finds the parties can pay.
Can I see the custody evaluator's report?
In California, the report is filed and served on the parties, their attorneys and any counsel for the child under Rule 5.220, and the courts' self-help page says you should receive it at least 10 days before the hearing. In Florida, section 61.20 requires the written study to go to the court and all parties of record.
Is what I say to a parenting coordinator confidential?
It depends on the state. Florida's section 61.125(8) makes communications in parenting coordination confidential with listed exceptions. AFCC notes that in some courts the process is confidential while in others the coordinator reports to the judge. The appointment order should say which applies.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, county and courtroom, and they change. Verify anything time-sensitive with your supervising GAL staff, the court or a licensed attorney in your state.