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

To obtain the right through authorization to act as a legal representative and agent for another. ...

Direct line of descent as from father to son. An example of a lineal hereditament would be passing of the title of real property by virtue of a will to the first-born son. ...

An individual for whom a court has awarded a financial judgment against a debtor. For example, a court award makes Smith a judgment creditor against Cole for $2,000. ...

Methods of materials used in designing and fabricating a building. ...

(1) Mildly convex arch built into a load bearing beam, girder, or truss to counteract any load bearing stress placed on it. (2) Slight slope designed into a structure such as a drive4way or ...

Situation in which a person guilty of breaking a contract is required by the judge to fulfill his duties. Specific performance is required only if the item or subject of the contract is ...

The geographic moving of an individual from one region to another usually because of a change in employment. Relocation normally involves the complete moving of the individual's ...

Accelerated method in which a fixed percentage factor of two times the straight-line rate is multiplied each year by the declining balance of the fixed assets book value. ...

Possession and use of a property estate by virtue of a lease. There are four types of leasehold estates: estate for years, periodic tenancy, tenancy at will, and tenant at sufferance. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions