A South Carolina Order for Appointment of Guardian Ad Item (GAL) is a court order issued by a judge in the family court that appoints a guardian ad item to represent a minor child in a family law case. The GAL is a neutral third party who is appointed to investigate and make recommendations to the court concerning the best interests of the child. The GAL is responsible for interviewing all involved parties, conducting appropriate research, and making recommendations to the court regarding custody, visitation, and other matters relating to the child. There are two types of South Carolina Order for Appointment of Guardian Ad Item (GAL): temporary and permanent. A temporary GAL is appointed to investigate and make recommendations to the court on a temporary basis, while a permanent GAL is appointed to continue to investigate and make recommendations to the court on a permanent basis.