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Court Reports are used by the CASA/GAL Volunteer to submit their findings and recommendations to the Magistrate or Judge as it pertains to the BEST INTEREST of the child(ren) they serve. CASA/GAL Volunteers are not only child advocates for abused and neglected children, they are also the EYES and EARS for the court. Magistrates and Judges have to make critical decisions about the future of the children. It is our hope that better decisions can be made on the behalf of the child(ren) when the Magistrates and Judge have more information to go on.

There are various types of Court Reports that a CASA/GAL Volunteer will submit as it pertains to the stage of his or her case:

Adjudicatory-Dispositonal Court Report: This is a report that is needed for the first court hearing that is held before a Magistrate. It is also the first report a CASA/GAL Volunteer will submit to the court at the beginning of his or her case. This report will reflect what the CASA/GAL Volunteer recommendations are as it pertains to two separate matters:

2. The Disposition - What will be the Magistrate's decision as it pertains to the initial placement of the chil(ren):

(a). Protective Supervison- This is granted to Lorain County Children Services. The child(ren) remain in the parent(s) custody while the parent(s) work a Court-Ordered Case Plan to address various issues and concerns.

(b). Temporary Custody - This is when a child is removed from their parent(s) and are placed in someone else's care, i.e. a Parent, Relative, Interested Third Party and Lorain County Children Services - Foster Care.

(c). Legal Custody - Typically if a parent has deceased, has been incarcerated, etc, and there is no need to establish a Case Plan for the proposed caregivers(s), then the Magistrate can grant Legal Custody, which allows the caregiver(s) to have all the authority of the child(ren) until the child(ren) reach the age of 18.

As it relates to (a) and (b), it is always the plan of Lorain County Children Children Services to give the parent(s) the opportunity to work a Case Plan to either maintain their child(ren) or get them back.

Further Dispositonal Order Court Report: This is a report needed for a court hearing that is before a Magistrate and usually takes place after a period of monitoring the parent(s) progress as it pertains to their Case Plan. There are various recommendations that can be submitted to the Magistrate as it pertains to the Child(ren) and the Parent(s), i.e.

(b). The Magistrate could grant an extension of Temporary Custody (Two 6 month extensions only) to the current caregiver(s) Parent(s) are making minimal case plan progress, but more time needs to be provided.

(c). The Magistrate could grant an extension of Protective Supervison to Children Services (Two month extensios only) (Parent(s) are making case plan progress, but still need additional time.

(d). The Magistrate could grant the caregiver(s) other than the parent(s) Legal Custody of the child(ren) (parent have minimal or no case plan progress for a significant period of time.

Permanent Custody Report: This is a report that is needed for a court hearing that is held before one of our three Judges. This is a hearing in which Lorain County Children Services is requesting the Judge to grant their agency Permanent Custody, which terminates the rights of the parent(s) and allows Lorain County Children Services to go forward with the Adoption Process. Typically the child(ren) have been in a foster placement for at least a year and the parent(s) have made minimal, if any, Case Plan progress.

Adoption Report: This is a report that is needed for a court hearing that is held before one of our three Judges. This is a hearing in which Permanent Custody had been previously granted to Lorain County Children Services and now Lorain County Children Services is asking the Judge to grant the adoption of the child(ren) to their new family. Once the adoption is granted, the CASA/GAL Volunteer's work is complete.