Who We Are (GAL Program)

Mission Statement: The mission of the Guardian ad Litem program is to provide trained independent advocates to represent and promote the best interests of abused, neglected, and dependent children in the state court system and to work towards a plan that ensures that these children are in a safe, permanent home.

To achieve this mission, the volunteer is paired with an Attorney Advocate for every court hearing.  In addition volunteers are offered support, training and guidance from the program staff and volunteers mentors/coaches.

Every year more than half a million abused and neglected children are in need of safe, permanent, nurturing homes. Volunteers are needed in every NC county to help judges make the best decisions in court about what is in the best interests of the children who come before them. The objectivity and thorough advocacy of our volunteer Guardians ad Litem help children navigate the many facets of out-of-home placement and ensure that their voices are heard in courtrooms across the state.

We make a difference for children, one child at a time, keeping a child's sense of time our focus.

A Brief History of the Program:

In 1979, the Guardian ad Litem Program for New Hanover and Pender Counties (5th judicial district) was initiated, with the support of the Child Advocacy Commission, as one of the first five pilot programs in North Carolina. 

Based on the success of these pilot programs, the North Carolina Legislature enacted legislation in 1983 to create the statewide Guadian ad Litem Program. The legislation’s intent was to provide quality representation for children in abuse and neglect matters and to do so in a cost-effective manner by using volunteers to investigate the case, make recommendations based on the best interests of the child, and monitor the case.

By 1992, the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program was fully implemented with staff and volunteers working in all of the state’s 39 judicial districts

The 5th judicial district Guardian ad Litem Program serves New Hanover and Pender Counties. The Program is overseen by the Administrative Office of the Courts and funded, for the most part, through the state budget.

Program Contact Information:

Guardian ad Litem Program
5th Judicial District
320 Chestnut Street, Suite 405
Wilmington, North Carolina 28401
910.251.2733

Guardian ad Litem Program Staff:

Liz Kachris-Jones, District Administrator	343-6404
Marian McPhaul, Staff Attorney	343-6373
Leslie Wilder, Program Supervisor	251-5755
Linda Bialaszewski, Program Supervisor	251-5752
Beverly Dixon, Program Supervisor	251-5753
Shirley Hart Berry, Adolescent Advocate	343-6324
GAL Recruiter	763-2257
Beverly Foscolo, Program Assistant	251-5787