Guardian Ad Litem Appellate Pro Bono Program

The GAL program relies on pro bono attorneys to represent the best interests of children in juvenile appeals. The appeals generally arise from abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights cases. The pro bono attorney settles the record on appeal and files an appellee's brief. Based on the timelines set out in the Rules of Appellate Procedure for juvenile appeals, our program is able to predict the time window when a pro bono attorney will be writing the brief at the time a case is assigned. The time commitment is approximately 15 hours per brief. Although our appellate courts are in Raleigh, juvenile cases generally do not have oral arguments, and the parties can file briefs electronically or by mail. Active NC license and malpractice insurance required.