Custodia

The judge may appoint one or more of the following professionals in your case:

• guardian ad litem;
• attorney for the child;
• child custody investigator; or
• child and family reporter.¹

A guardian ad litem is a lawyer assigned to represent the best interest of your child.² His/her job is to convince the judge to do what s/he thinks is in the child’s best interest. 

An attorney for the child is a lawyer assigned to represent your child.³ His/her job is to convince the judge to do what his/her client, the child, wants. 

A guardian ad litem and an attorney for the child may do many of the same things in the court case, including:

• interview the child and the child’s parents or guardian; 
• have regular contact with your child while the case is going on;
• interview your child’s teachers, doctors, or other service providers and review and copy relevant records;
• attend the court dates; and
• file papers, present evidence, question witnesses, and otherwise fully participate in the hearings.⁴

A child custody investigator or child and family reporter is a professional assigned by the judge to get information about things related to the child and his/her best interest, including each parent’s home conditions and parenting abilities. The investigator or reporter writes a report and submits it to the court. The parents and their lawyers can also read the report. Usually, this report becomes part of the court record in the case.⁵

If the judge assigns any of these professionals to be part of your case, one or both of the parents may have to pay for it. However, the county may pay if a parent’s income is below a certain amount.⁶

¹ Iowa Code § 600B.40(4)
² Iowa Code § 598.12
³ Iowa Code § 598.12A
⁴ Iowa Code §§ 598.12; 598.12A
⁵ Iowa Code § 598.12B
⁶ Iowa Code §§ 598.12; 598.12A; 598.12B