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
Early American frontier-style house constructed of logs. Since finished lumber was not readily available during the early frontier period of American history, homes were often fashioned out ...
The number of units currently occupied in a facility, neighborhood, or city, stated as a percentage of total capacity. For example, a hotel has 80 rooms available for guests. Its average ...
The Women’s Council of REALTORS® is one of the affiliate organizations of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). This nonprofit organization is a network of successful ...
Under law, a warranty in effect even if not expressly stated. It provides that real property sold is warranted to be appropriate for sale and is in proper condition even if not stated, ...
Existing state of affairs with respect to the real estate market and conditions. ...
payment of a debt before its due such as a mortgage payment or insurance premiums. ...
One-story house with a low pitched roof often having an open floor plan. ...
What’s the definition of real estate collateral? Could we say it’s like keeping a hostage? No, that would be relatively insensitive. But the idea is similar. In real estate, ...
Are you looking to sell your house or buy a new one? Then, you'll most assuredly encounter the term instrument at some point. If you don't want to ask people: "Please, define instrument to ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.