Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge David Gooding.

Caption: FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT JUDGE DAVID GOODING swore in a new class of 75 guardians ad litem in front of the Duval County Courthouse in October. Statewide, the Guardian ad Litem Program depends on 8,624 certified volunteers and an additional 962 non-certified volunteers who do not carry cases to help fulfill its mission to represent the best interests of children in the dependency court system. GALs work directly with children who have been removed from their parents' custody due to allegations of neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Guardians become familiar with the child and the child's case in order to make recommendations to the dependency judge to help ensure a safe, caring, stable, and permanent home environment. Statewide GAL Executive Director Alan Abramowitz has proposed a three-year strategy to reach full representatation of all children in the...