Minnesota Maury D. Beaulier, Attorney at Law Hellmuth & Johnson, PLLC 10400 Viking Drive, Ste. 500 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Websites: www.minnesotalawyers.com Maury D. Beaulier, Esq., is a partner in a 25 attorney law firm located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He was raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Prior to his legal career, he worked as an intern for Congressman Les Aspin, head of the Armed Service Committee of Congress and later appointed as the United State's Secretary of Defense. Mr. Beaulier's primary area of practice is criminal defense. He is recognized as a leader in complex criminal cases. In his criminal defense practice, Mr. Beaulier has worked on several high profile homicide cases, successfully seeking the early release of an inmate convicted of murder. Mr. Beaulier work in the area of post conviction relief was highlighted in an investigative story broadcast on Channel 5, KSTP-TV regarding the innocence of a man convicted of murder. As a litigator, Maury has broken new ground representing farmers in contract disputes related to the transmission of disease (Johne's disease) in bovine herds. These cases have resulted in large judgments that have helped to save several family farms. Q. Can a Psychologist be appointed as a Guardian Ad Litem? A. There are psychologists that are Guardian's Ad Litem's (GAL's). Generally, it requires a few classes for GAL training for a psychologist to be a GAL since the GAL is applying legal standards to the situation. See these links: http://legalminds.lp.findlaw.com/list/child-court/msg00193.html http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=657 http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:ZfPRyepTpGMJ:www.courts.state.mn.us/documents/0/Public/ Guardian_Ad_Litem/Coordinator201-PD.pdf+Minnesota+psychologists+Guardian+Ad+Litem&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us One popular psychologist GAL is: Cairncross, Donna - Cairncross Donna (651) 628-0337 2579 Hamline Ave N # D Saint Paul, MN There are others. Q. How can a client get a Guardian Ad Litem appointed outside the list of people that the Judge would normally select from? A. Many attorneys have their own list that they use to suggest GAL's. It would likely have to be agreed up0onbyu both parties. Q. What happens in a dispute between attorney's over the selection of a GA.L.? A. Different dispute resolutions are used. Often a list is made and each party alternatively strikes people until there is one left or each party picks a GAL and agrees that those two GAL's put their heads together to bpick a third independent GAL that they both agree on. Really any reasonable method is fair game here so long as the parties agree to the process. If they don't, it is up to the Judge to choose. Back to Legal Opinions Directory