Rule 5:8C.[Appointment of Court Appointed Special Advocate]

Last amended September 1, 1998 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026

In one sentenceRule 5:8C lets the court appoint a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate to act on the court's behalf in a child's interests, without displacing the child's lawyer or guardian ad litem.

Full Text of Rule 5:8C

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In any case in which the welfare of a child is in issue, the court may, on application of any party or on its own motion, appoint a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), who shall act on the court's behalf to undertake certain activities in furtherance of the child's interests, but who shall not supplant or interfere with the role either of counsel for child appointed pursuant to R. 5:8A or guardian ad litem appointed pursuant to R. 5:8B. Any such CASA shall be a volunteer associated with a court-authorized or court-operated CASA program. The duties and activities of a CASA program and all of its volunteers shall be in accordance with guidelines established by the Administrative Director of the Courts.

End

Amendment History

New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “Note” beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; a “Source” line names the former rule the current one grew out of, and “R. (1969)” citations refer to the earlier numbering it replaced.

Note: Adopted July 10, 1998 to be effective September 1, 1998.

Plain-English Summary

In any case where a child's welfare is at issue, the court may — on any party's application or its own motion — appoint a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate. A CASA acts on the court's behalf to undertake certain activities in furtherance of the child's interests.

The rule is careful about boundaries. A CASA must not supplant or interfere with the role of counsel for the child appointed under Rule 5:8A, or of a guardian ad litem appointed under Rule 5:8B. The three roles coexist rather than substitute for one another.

A CASA must be a volunteer associated with a court-authorized or court-operated CASA program, and the duties and activities of the program and its volunteers follow guidelines set by the Administrative Director of the Courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CASA in a New Jersey family case?

A volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate, appointed in a case where a child's welfare is at issue, who acts on the court's behalf to undertake activities in furtherance of the child's interests.

Does a CASA replace the child's lawyer or guardian ad litem?

No. A CASA must not supplant or interfere with the role either of counsel for the child appointed under Rule 5:8A or of a guardian ad litem appointed under Rule 5:8B.

Who can serve as a CASA?

A volunteer associated with a court-authorized or court-operated CASA program.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official New Jersey Rules of Court, Part V (N.J. Ct. R. 5:8C). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified September 8, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: CASAcourt appointed special advocatechild advocate volunteer