POLICY 4 PIERCE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT RCW 11.88 GUARDIAN AD LITEM CODE OF CONDUCT All Guardian ad Litem’s shall fully comply with this Code of Conduct and the requirements of Superior Court GALR, effective 11/01: 1. The appointed Guardian ad Litem shall decline the appointment if they are not qualified, competent, or able to complete the matter in a timely manner. 2. The Guardian ad Litem shall maintain the ethical principles of their own profession in addition to compliance with this Code of Conduct. 3. The Guardian ad Litem shall promptly advise the court of any grounds for disqualification or unavailability to serve. 4. The Guardian ad Litem shall avoid self-dealing or association from which the Guardian ad Litem might directly or indirectly benefit, other than from compensation as a Guardian ad Litem. 5. The Guardian ad Litem shall not guarantee or create the impression that any portion of the investigation will remain confidential, and shall inform all witnesses that the information gathered by the Guardian ad Litem must be reported to the court. 6. All records, including contemporaneously maintained time and expense records, of the Guardian ad Litem shall promptly be made available to the parties and their attorneys for review upon request, without formal discovery request(s) being made. Copies of the records may be made by the parties and their attorneys under circumstances that assure that the file remains complete, organized and intact. 7. Once admitted to the RCW 11.88 Registry, all Guardian ad Litem’s shall fully comply with all continuing education requirements established under Pierce County Local Rules and GALR, as amended. 8. The Guardian ad Litem shall report to D.S.H.S. and the court, any adult abuse as defined in RCW 74.34.020(2). The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the foregoing, has read the same and GALR, and agrees to be governed by all. __________________ Date __________________________________ Signature (Adopted 5/4/98; amended 5/6/02) American LegalNet, Inc. www.USCourtForms.com