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
Dehydrated gypsum that is mixed with water to form a rapidly setting material. Plaster of paris sets too rapidly to be practical for most building applications, but it is useful for ...
A recorded plat defines a subdivision map that you have to file in the county recorder’s office. It will show the location and boundaries of your parcels of land. Knowing this, we can ...
The definition of debt coverage ratio (DCR) or debt-service coverage ratio (DSCR) is on the pages of all finance coursebooks. It reveals the ability of an individual - but most ...
Statement filed with a governmental authority declaring property a homestead for the purposes of securing a homestead exemption. The declaration of homestead has no effect on the property ...
Bond whose interest is free of federal, state, or local tax in the state of the issuer. It is typically a municipal bond of estate or county agency. For example, a New York City resident ...
Invests in rental property but does not manage that property. ...
A zero lot line is a term in residential real estate that refers to houses that are either very close to or at the edge of the property line. These houses are also called zero lot line ...
Earthquake insurance is the type of insurance policy that specifically covers damages to your real estate caused by seismic activities. It can refer both to the rare coverage against ...
The definition of an open-end mortgage underlines the fact that the mortgage or trust deed can be increased by the mortgagee (borrower). The mortgagee may secure additional money from the ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.