Rule 21.01 Application Generally

If a court appoints a guardian ad litem to represent someone's interests in circuit court, family court, or magistrate court, this rule explains how the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals handles payment for that person. It sets the ground rules for when the state covers these costs.

There is one big exception. This rule does not cover guardians ad litem who are appointed in abuse and neglect cases. Those cases follow different payment rules. So if you're dealing with an abuse and neglect case, you'll need to look elsewhere to find out how the guardian ad litem gets paid.

For everyone else, this rule is the starting point for understanding how guardian ad litem payments work in the West Virginia court system.