Leary v. Leary
Court of Special Appeals of Maryland
627 A.2d 30 (1993)
Relevant factsFree
In the Learys' divorce custody proceeding involving their two sons, the court appointed attorney Ms. Coates as guardian ad litem to represent the boys' interests without defining her specific role or obligations; Coates ultimately concluded joint custody was appropriate even though the boys apparently wished to live with their mother, and the court nonetheless awarded sole legal custody to Mrs. Leary. Mr. Leary appealed, arguing the judge erred by failing to instruct Coates on her role.
IssueFree
Whether, where a court designates a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of a child in a custody proceeding, the court must define the representative's role.