I'm watching the GAL get it wrong in slow motion
I'm an in-law with no blood relation to either parent, but I know them well: I have been to their home dozens of times, lived in the same home during vacations, etc.
I am in the painful position of slowly watching the court side with the father, who is absolutely, unequivocally unable to parent. He has documented psychiatric issues with anti-pschotic meds, lives with his parents (he's 40), gambled away $500k of their money secretly when they were married (they are now deeply in debt).
And, somehow, I am watching the GAL gradually side with him. They are at the temporary orders phase, and she just recommended via email that get gets vastly expanded custody. This is ~2 weeks before the psychology report is expected. The mother mother calmly just asked if everyone could wait until the psychology report is in, and the GAL said no.
Her lawyer is advising her to agree to all the expanded time, saying that going against the GAL will make her look obstructive and controlling to the court. I would think that politely declining to agree, and having the judge modify his own orders is entirely reasonable? But I have never been inside a family court before.
It's painful - the court is slowly making the wrong decisions, not seeing what I and everyone else can plainly see. If anyone has advice that would be great, but overall I'm just sort of lamenting. Man, what a sad process. Ugh.