Guardian ad Litem Services

Forensic, Evidence-Driven Investigations

I serve as a Title 26 Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in contested custody matters in King County. I am a recognized expert in substance use disorders and am also well versed in domestic violence and coercive control, mental health concerns, and child abuse.

My background includes rigorous early training and decades of clinical and forensic work with high-conflict families and justice-involved populations. I apply this experience to careful, independent investigations of complex family dynamics—whether or not substance use is alleged.

My findings and recommendations are based on the weight of the available evidence and the children’s best interests, not either party’s litigation position.

Scope of My Work

My role as GAL is investigative and analytical rather than therapeutic. Depending on the issues presented, an investigation may include:

  • Review of legal, medical, treatment, therapy, school, and collateral records

  • Interviews with parents, children, and relevant collateral sources

  • Careful consideration of competing accounts and contradictory evidence

  • Evaluation of behavioral patterns over time rather than isolated incidents

  • Analysis of parenting capacity, judgment, consistency, and stability

  • Integration of multiple sources into a coherent evidentiary narrative

My reports explicitly connect the evidence to my conclusions so that the Court can understand how my findings and recommendations were reached.

Use of Prior Evaluations

When prior substance use, domestic violence, psychological, or other evaluations exist, I consider them alongside the records, collateral information, observed behavior, and other evidence developed during the investigation.

I examine the scope of each evaluation, the information available to the evaluator, and the extent to which its conclusions are consistent with the broader record. Prior evaluations may provide valuable information, but no single evaluation is considered in isolation or treated as determinative of parenting capacity.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Expertise

I have 38 years of experience in substance use disorder assessment and treatment and am frequently consulted by attorneys, therapists, and other GALs regarding substance use issues in family-law cases.

My expertise includes:

  • Active addiction and its potential effects on parenting

  • The strength and stability of recovery

  • Relapse risk, treatment history, and functional impairment

  • Drug- and alcohol-testing methodology and interpretation

  • Evaluation of whether SUD assessments are adequately supported by:

    • Thorough review of available records

    • Collateral information

    • Testing

    • Methodology

    • Diagnostic reasoning (including cases of alcohol, street drug, and/or alleged prescription mis-use)

    • Application of ASAM treatment placement considerations

    • Compliance with WAC requirements

    • Screening for other concerns

  • Developing informed SUD-related recommendations tailored to the needs and circumstances of the individual family

When substance use is central to a case, this expertise allows me to examine it within the broader family and parenting context rather than as an isolated clinical question. I also work with a high-quality forensic testing provider when testing is appropriate.

Additional Relevant Experience

I have decades of direct experience working with people with mental health conditions across a broad range of acuity, from mild anxiety to acute psychosis. My knowledge in this area is grounded primarily in extensive practical experience rather than academic specialization. I evaluate mental health concerns according to how they affect functioning, judgment, emotional regulation, consistency, and parenting—not through diagnostic labels alone.

Domestic violence and coercive control have been recurring issues throughout my clinical, felony-court, family-court, and GAL work. I have developed substantial practical knowledge through direct experience and continued study, including experience recognizing complex patterns that may be obscured when incidents are considered separately.

Early in my career, I provided substance abuse services to approximately 150 clients who had committed sexual offenses, primarily offenses against children. This work gave me familiarity with relevant risk factors and grooming behaviors.

Cases Best Suited to My Practice

I am particularly well suited to cases involving complex behavioral or clinical concerns, including:

  • Substance use disorders or disputed substance-related evidence

  • Mental health concerns affecting parenting capacity, judgment, or stability

  • Domestic violence and coercive control

  • Conflicting allegations and/or prior evaluations requiring careful analysis

  • High-conflict litigation in which evidentiary rigor matters

What to Expect

My investigations are thorough and detail-oriented. I prioritize accuracy, context, and defensibility over speed. Because a careful investigation can require substantial time, I may not be the best fit for matters seeking a rapid or low-cost process.

I am not a volume GAL and do not accept every case. I am generally appointed by agreed order when the parties and counsel want a methodical, evidence-driven investigation of complex family circumstances.

Fees

Payment: GAL fees are $150 per hour with a $5000 deposit to get started. I accept cash, check, or Zelle.