ad litem

American

[ad lahy-tem] / ˈæd ˈlaɪ tɛm /

adjective

Law.

for the particular action or proceeding.

a guardian ad litem.

ad litem British

/ æd ˈlaɪtɛm /

adjective

(formerly, esp of a guardian) appointed for a lawsuit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ad litem

1760–70; < Latin; cf. litigate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

ad litem

Petit has sued the city in federal court through a guardian ad litem, arguing that the officers had no cause for detaining him and that he posed no threat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2023

The court appointed a guardian ad litem to serve as a legal advocate for the boy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

A guardian ad litem represents the child’s interest in court.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2022

Ms. Spears’s personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery, recently filed an urgent request for the court to appoint a guardian ad litem who would be assigned solely to help Ms. Spears choose her own lawyer.

From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2021

“Tandoori, Harrison, and Hugo are all minors. You had no right to interrogate them without a parent or guardian ad litem present.”

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023