(a) "Custody proceeding" means a court proceeding, other than an abuse or neglect proceeding, in which legal or physical custody of, access to, or visitation or parenting time with a child is at issue, including but not limited to divorce, post divorce, paternity, domestic violence, and contested adoptions.(b) "Abuse or neglect proceeding" means a court proceeding for protection of a child from abuse or neglect or a court proceeding in which termination of parental rights is at issue.(c) "Guardian Ad Litem" means a licensed attorney appointed by the court to represent the best interests of a child or children in a custody proceeding. Commentary
Under revised Rule 40A it is now possible for the same attorney who is appointed as a Rule 40 guardian ad litem to follow a case and be appointed to represent the child as a Rule 40A guardian ad litem in subsequent proceedings (e.g., a termination of parental rights case in Juvenile Court followed by a contested adoption between competing grandparents in Chancery Court).