Court-Appointed Legal Services
Understand how the courts use attorneys to resolve cases, mediate disputes, and support vulnerable children and adults.
Attorney Jessica Doucette provides court-appointed legal services in Massachusetts Probate & Family Courts of Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol Counties in eastern Massachusetts.
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Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)
A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a court-appointed professional that investigates, analyzes, and reports on facts related to cases before the court, most often involving the welfare of a minor child or incapacitated adult.
The judge can choose to assign a GAL, or the parties can request one. GALs are neutral or can advocate on either party’s behalf, depending on the category. GALs are paid by either the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the parties themselves.
Jessica Doucette is a member of the Massachusetts Association of Guardians Ad Litem and authorized to work on GAL categories F, D, I, and Q.
Guardian Ad Litem: Category F
A category F GAL/investigator investigates and reports on facts regarding issues including, but not limited to, custody, visitation, and/or the removal of a minor child from the state. The GAL investigator is usually an attorney and not a clinical evaluator so is barred from interpreting its findings or performing clinical assessments. The scope and content of these investigations could involve:
- Social history, including any relevant court activity of the parties
- Martial and parenting history of the parties
- Age and educational history of the children
- Health of the children and parties
- Interests and activities of the children
- Demonstrated capacity of each party to understand and accommodate children’s needs
- Proposed parenting plan, if applicable
- Children’s preference regarding issues being addressed by the GAL, as applicable
- The relationship and attachment of children to each parent or others
- The capacity of each parent to support an ongoing relationship between children and another parent
- Issues related to domestic violence cases
Guardian Ad Litem: Category D
A category D GAL or “next friend” acts in cases involving trusts or estates of decedents, minors, protected persons, or incapacitated persons in judicially supervised settlements.
Guardian Ad Litem: Category I
A category I GAL investigates cases involving elderly or disabled people, particularly when protective action may be required.
Guardian Ad Litem: Category Q
A category Q GAL acts in cases involving people with mental illness.
Parenting Coordinator (PC)
When two co-parents have a dispute regarding custody, parenting time, child support, or compliance with a court order or judgment, they can ask the judge to assign a parenting coordinator (PC).
The parenting coordinator, is a neutral party who facilitates negotiation. If arbitration fails, the parenting coordinator may issue binding orders that the parties are legally obligated to follow. If a party disagrees with an order issued by the PC, they may return to court and the judge will determine whether to enforce, change, or overturn the orders.
Parents may choose to share their own records with the PC, but the PC cannot require them to release confidential or privileged information.
Court-Appointed Attorney for Department of Children and Families (DCF) Cases
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) is responsible for investigating allegations of child abuse or neglect. If investigators believe a child should be removed from the home to protect their safety and wellbeing, DCF can pursue a “care and protection” case in court. The judge will rule on custody or the termination or restoration of parenting rights. The court also may assign an attorney to advocate for the child and/or the parent or guardian.
Jessica Doucette represents children or parents/guardians in such DCF care and protection cases.
Court-Appointed Guardian for Divorce Defendants with Mental Illness (Chapter 208-15)
A Probate and Family Court judge may appoint an attorney to represent a defendant in a divorce proceeding who is incapacitated by mental illness, disability, or cognitive decline. The appointed attorney acts as a guardian for the incapacitated person and litigates/negotiates the divorce on behalf of the incapacitated person.
Rogers Guardianship for Extraordinary Medical Treatment
Attorney Jessica Doucette is a court-approved Rogers counsel in juvenile court cases. She is qualified to review and make recommendations regarding the best interests of a child prescribed antipsychotic medication and to oversee their treatment throughout the course of the guardianship.
Some children require extraordinary medical treatment, usually antipsychotic medication, which requires court oversight. A proposed guardian or existing guardian can petition the court for authority as a Rogers guardian to administer such treatment.
In Rogers guardianship cases, the judge must decide (1) that the incapacitated person is unable to give informed consent to such medical treatment and (2) what the person would choose for themselves if they were competent. (The court also requires a clinician’s affidavit from the prescribing physician in cases involving requests for antipsychotic medications.)
For support in making this determination, the judge will assign a Rogers counsel to advocate for the incapacitated person or child receiving extraordinary medical treatment. The Rogers counsel investigates and makes a recommendation, and then the court may elect to order the proposed treatment and assign a Rogers monitor (often a family member or guardian) to oversee the treatment.
Court-Appointed Special Master for Sale of Real Estate
In divorce and family law proceedings, a judge can assign an attorney known as a “special master” to resolve disputes regarding the ownership, use, occupancy, or proceeds from real estate. The special master is a neutral party appointed to value, market, and sell property when the parties cannot agree to terms themselves.
Jessica Doucette is a licensed real estate broker and court-appointed special master for sale of real estate. She works to limit any liability for the parties and secure the highest and best price for sale.
Court-Appointed Lawyer for Active-Duty Military
Active-duty members of the military and their spouses have special challenges when involved in divorce, child support, child custody, and other family disputes.
As a court-appointed military counsel, Jessica Doucette has deep knowledge of the special rules governing military divorces and family law disputes. She represents servicemen, servicewomen, and their families stationed at bases in eastern Massachusetts and also worldwide via virtual court proceedings.
Court-Appointed Family Lawyers Serving Eastern Massachusetts
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Jessica Doucette, Court-appointed Attorney in Eastern Massachusetts
Jessica Doucette is an experienced, determined, and compassionate attorney who will represent and support you every step of the way.
“I have retained Attorney Jessica Doucette on numerous occasions to assist with a variety of probate matters. She is extremely responsive, efficient, and knowledgeable on advising about and navigating the complicated probate process.”
—Joshua Blumen, attorney in Sharon, MA