Ad litem
From Latin, meaning "for the lawsuit," i.e., for purposes of the current legal action. A guardian ad litem is a guardian appointed by the court to act on behalf of a minor or incompetent person.
Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary
(ad-light-em) Latin, meaning "for the purposes of the legal action only." A person who files a lawsuit for a minor child or for a person who is incompetent acts as "guardian at litem" (guardian just for the purposes of the lawsuit). A person acting ad litem has the responsibility to pursue the lawsuit and to account for the money recovered for damages. (See also: guardian ad litem)
Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.
August 19, 2010, 5:10 pm
