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

Property given and accepted as a grant to the public. ...

Limited period of time granted by state law to an individual who has had his or her property foreclosed on and sold to regain possession of the property by repaying the debt that was ...

Notice of a pending suit; a public notice given to prospective purchasers and any one else considering an interest in property that the title is being legally challenged, and the outcome is ...

Half oval window. It is usually small and placed over a doorway serving a decorative purpose. In some case, the window may be mounted with a hinge at either end to a permit opening for ...

Extent to which soil has cavities or pores, thereby allowing water to pass through. soil productivity;Ability of the soil to accomplish the desired objective such as its capacity for ...

Worth of property based on the relevant economic factors (e.g., state of the economy, unemployment rate). ...

Loose combination of small rocks and pebbles used for a gutter, driveway, landscaping, or roadbed. ...

The definition of population density is a way to measure the number of populations in a specific area. The method of calculating population density is by the number of people per square ...

Clause in a mortgage that allows the borrower to pay more than the monthly amount and to retire the loan early without a penalty. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions