In the New Hampshire court system, a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) serves as an advocate for a minor’s best interest in family cases. GALs provide important neutral investigations in complex, high-conflict cases that often have seen unsuccessful mediation to help courts make more informed, fact-based decisions. This report evaluates the effectiveness and impact of New Hampshire’s 2025 Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Pilot Program. The pilot provided public funding to appoint GALs in cases involving indigent families in four family courts for the first time since the elimination of the state GAL fund in 2011. Through stakeholder interviews and case file analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods, the report finds that the pilot expanded access to the consideration of children’s interests as determined by need rather than ability to pay.

This report explains how the pilot program operated within the existing legal and procedural framework of the New Hampshire courts. It finds that the pilot reduced payment barriers that previously hindered families’ ability to access a GAL and benefit from their services. Stakeholders claimed the pilot provided greater opportunities for representation, though concerns regarding a limited GAL pool and case complexity remain. Even as long-term outcomes continue to unfold, the report finds that the pilot provides evidence that a state-funded GAL program can improve court functions and resolution surrounding cases involving indigent families. The report also provides recommendations for how to