Definition of "Ad litem"
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”.
Have a Real Estate Agent as your guardian, protecting your best interests at all times!
Popular Real Estate Terms
Financial institution that services savings and checking accounts, provides loans, and deals with negotiable instruments. Stringent federal and local regulations exist over banking ...
Housing where affirmative action is actively pursued encouraging people of all races, nationalities, and religions to purchase or rent the facilities. ...
To clip or prune shrubbery,etc. ...
Charge assessed a mortgagor by the mortgagee when assuming a pre-existing mortgage. The assumption fee is often included in the closing costs when purchasing property. ...
A person who dies without a will and having unknown intentions regarding his estate. In such case, a court administrator is typically appointed to act as an executor in distributing any ...
Maximum credit a prospective buyer may be given. An example is the maximum mortgage a prospective home buyer may receive from the bank. ...
Created by law usually for the right to travel to landlocked parcel of land ...
Receipt given for a partial payment made on the sale of property. It shows the buyer has made a down payment. ...
Where something of value is kept in a secured place. An example is important real estate document and/or money kept in a bank vault. Ceiling or roof designed as an arch. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.