40-4-205. Guardian ad litem. (1) The court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of a minor dependent child with respect to the child's support, parenting, and parental contact. The guardian ad litem may be an attorney. The county attorney, a deputy county attorney, if any, or the department of public health and human services or any of its staff may not be appointed for this purpose.
(2) The guardian ad litem has the following general duties:
(a) to conduct investigations that the guardian ad litem considers necessary to ascertain the facts related to the child's support, parenting, and parental contact;
(b) to interview or observe the child who is the subject of the proceeding;
(c) to make written reports to the court concerning the child's support, parenting, and parental contact;
(d) to appear and participate in all proceedings to the degree necessary to adequately represent the child and make recommendations to the court concerning the child's support, parenting, and parental contact; and
(e) to perform other duties as directed by the court.
(3) The guardian ad litem has access to court, medical, psychological, law enforcement, social services, and school records pertaining to the child and the child's siblings and parents or caretakers.
(4) The court shall enter an order for costs and fees in favor of the child's guardian ad litem. The order must be made against either or both parents, except that if the responsible party is indigent, the costs must be waived.
(5) The guardian ad litem shall mail the report to counsel and to any party not represented by counsel at least 10 days prior to the hearing.
History: En. 48-324 by Sec. 24, Ch. 536, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 48-324; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 93, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 434, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 394, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 119, Ch. 546, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 343, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 88, L. 2013.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Chapter 4. Termination of Marriage, Child Custody, Support
Part 2. Support, Custody, Visitation, and Related Provisions
40-4-201. Separation agreement
40-4-202. Division of property
40-4-204. Child support -- orders to address health insurance -- withholding of child support
40-4-206. Payment of maintenance or support to court -- handling fee of clerk
40-4-209. Security or guaranty to secure support
40-4-210. Child support jurisdiction -- nonresident individual
40-4-211. Jurisdiction -- commencement of parenting proceedings
40-4-212. Best interest of child
40-4-213. Interim parenting plan
40-4-215. Investigations and reports
40-4-217. Notice of intent to move
40-4-218. Judicial supervision
40-4-219. Amendment of parenting plan -- mediation
40-4-221. Determination of child's care upon death of parent
40-4-225. Access to records by parent
40-4-226. Court-sanctioned educational program on effects of dissolution of marriage on children
40-4-227. Rights of parents and children -- policy -- findings
40-4-228. Parenting and visitation matters between natural parent and third party
40-4-229. through 40-4-232 reserved
40-4-233. Final parenting plan -- purpose and objectives
40-4-234. Final parenting plan criteria
40-4-235. through 40-4-250 reserved
40-4-252. Preliminary declaration of disclosure -- penalty
40-4-255. Noncomplying disclosure declarations -- requests to comply -- remedies