Castaneda v. Castaneda

THOMAS H. NEWTON, Presiding Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment in a marital dissolution action. The first question presented is whether the husband’s allegations of child abuse and/or neglect should have triggered the mandatory appointment of a guardian ad litem to protect the children’s interests. The second question presented is whether the trial court should have granted the wife’s written motion for a continuance, which she filed pro se only one day before trial.

We conclude that the trial court should have appointed a guardian ad litem. Because the trial court failed to do so, we…