The Circuit Court used the report and investigation of a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) to make findings a custody modification was appropriate. The Appellate Court applied Morgan v. Getter, 441 S.W.3d 94 (Ky. 2014) and held the Circuit Court “erroneously appointed the GAL to represent the child and to conduct an investigation and file a report…” The appellate court emphasized the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Morgan, particularly the ethical and constitutional problems with conflating a Friend of the Court with a GAL. The Appellate Court reversed and remanded the Circuit Court Order modifying parenting custody, as the error was not harmless because the only facts cited in the order were from the GAL’s report.
