Art. 424 Court-appointed special advocates (CASA); purpose

Here's a plain English summary of this rule:

CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates. These are volunteers that a judge assigns to a child's case, usually when the child is involved in the foster care system or a similar situation.

The main job of a CASA volunteer is to speak up for the child's best interests. They work to make sure the child gets placed in a home that is safe, stable, and permanent as quickly as possible. This means they push against unnecessary delays and help make sure the child doesn't get stuck moving from place to place without a real, lasting home.

For families involved in a case, this means an extra person may be part of the process whose only focus is the child's wellbeing and finding them a stable place to live long term.