Glossary of Washington GAL and court-visitor terms

Plain-language definitions of the terms used throughout this directory.

Title 26 Guardian ad Litem

A person appointed in a family law case under RCW Title 26 to investigate and report on the best interests of a child.

Title 11 Guardian ad Litem

A person appointed in a guardianship or conservatorship matter under RCW Title 11, often serving alongside or as a court visitor.

Court visitor

A person appointed to meet with an alleged incapacitated person and report to the court on their circumstances and stated wishes.

Registry / roster

The list a county maintains of people willing and eligible to be appointed. Registries differ by county in format, detail and publication.

Dated roster

An official roster published with an older effective date. It may not reflect current availability or eligibility.

No public roster located

No roster published on an official county source could be located as of the review date. It does not mean the county has no registry.

Source-status legend

• Published current roster — The county publishes a roster that is currently available on an official court or county source.
• Published dated roster — An official roster is published but carries an older date and may not reflect current availability.
• No public roster located — No public roster was located on official county or court sources; contact the Superior Court directly.
• Omitted — unfinished official research result — Research for this county was intentionally stopped before completion. No roster status is claimed or inferred.

This is a public-information directory of official county Guardian ad Litem and court-visitor resources. It is not a court appointment service, legal advice, an endorsement, or an emergency service. Confirm current status, eligibility, availability, rates, and appointment procedure with the county Superior Court or program administrator.