Office of Guardian ad Litem seeks pay parity with attorney general to retain experienced child welfare lawyers

Stacy Snyder, director of Utah’s Office of the Guardian ad Litem, told the committee Feb. 4 the GAL’s attorney pay scale lags the Attorney General’s Office, which she said creates recruitment and retention issues for experienced child‑protection attorneys. Snyder said the GAL’s budget is about $11–12 million and requested completion of prior funding to achieve pay parity and cover any cost‑of‑living adjustments.

Why it matters: GAL attorneys represent children in abuse, neglect and dependency proceedings. The office reported two vacant attorney positions and said each attorney carries dozens of cases; Snyder said an individual attorney’s caseload may represent up to roughly 70 cases (varying by family size and complexity). She described recent appointments after critical medical‑evidence cases and said retaining experienced lawyers is essential to responding to increasingly complex child‑welfare matters.

Snyder explained that GAL is a separate line item and is overseen by a Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee rather than the Judicial Council; the GAL depends on judiciary IT and HR support for some back‑office functions. She asked the Legislature to finish the parity funding begun in the prior session and sought ongoing funding to avoid continual turnover. She also noted the GAL previously received one‑time funds and a partial ongoing bridge; the current ask is for the remaining ongoing amount required for parity.

Ending: Snyder requested the committee’s assistance to finalize compensation parity and noted the office’s service demands and vacancies. The committee heard that GAL attorneys provide health‑and‑case assessments in high‑risk child cases and that pay parity would reduce case disruptions and the need for repeated case reassignment.