Definition of "Ad litem"

Pam & Jason Maples<br>(The Maples Team) real estate agent

Written by

Pam & Jason Maples
(The Maples Team)
elite badge icon

Grinnell Realty

Need to know the Ad Litem definition after coming across this weird term?

Ad litem is short for “Guardian Ad Litem” or “Attorney Ad litem”, a legal term that refers to the person appointed by the court to investigate what results would be of best interest to the child (or a grownup that is legally incapacitated of representing himself) in the lawsuit at hand. The Guardian Ad Litem (GAL), then, represents that person and fights for that outcome.

The most common use for it is in divorce lawsuits. But in Real Estate it can also have many uses:

  • Say a kid becomes an orphan – a GAL will be appointed to act on his or her behalf in court regarding the kid’s rights to inheritance.
  • If a situation arises for a non-verbal person with special needs and no relatives that leads to a Homes for the disabled lawsuit, the court will also appoint a GAL.
  • It can even be used in a property litigation: to act on behalf of an estate if the owners are unavailable or unwilling to do so.

Lastly, in case you’re wondering: The root of the Ad Litem definition comes from Latin. The word Ad Litem means “for the suit”, or “for the proceeding”.

Real Estate Tips:

Have a Real Estate Agent as your guardian, protecting your best interests at all times!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Person chosen by a testator/testatrix to handle and conduct the terms of a will to an estate. Duties include collecting and selling of properties and paying debts of the state. ...

You’ve put your home on the market and are receiving offers. The next logical step is to sell your house to the buyer who offers you the highest amount of money and start the closing ...

Keeps something under control, such as water and sand. It blocks natural flow and settling of earth. It performs the same function as a dam would for water. ...

To fulfill , complete, implement, perform, or carry out terms of an agreement including completing a signature on a contract and delivering a document to the intended party. ...

Method of valuing a property through examination and comparison of recent sales of comparable properties. ...

Refurbishing or rebuilding a property, such as a house, back to its original or earlier condition. ...

Process of developing an area by planning and building homes, shopping centers, schools or churches. The development process includes the construction of streets, sewers, utilities, parks, ...

What is a turnkey property? A turnkey property is a very popular type of investment property that real estate investors prefer because it starts bringing a return on investment quickly. ...

An attorney's opinion of the status of a title, which is attached to the abstract of title. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions