Ardith Keef is a registered Guardian ad Litem in Maine. This means she can be appointed by any court to investigate the circumstances the children are in, and also make decisions that concern their welfare and where they live.
  The GAL has to write at least one report for the court, and sometimes there is a series of reports that go into the record. The GAL has some judicial powers and it is common for the court to appoint a GAL when the parents cannot agree on what to do with the children.
   Usually both parents split the fee, but occasionally the court will decide on a different payment arrangement.
   The Guardian fee is the same as the regular attorney fee, but there is no charge for phone calls or e-mails if the exchange of information is between the parents and Ardith.