The NYC Civil Court, Housing Part, Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Program recruits, trains, and provides Housing Court judges with a pool of GALs whose goal is to safeguard the rights and prevent the eviction of some of New York City's most vulnerable people. A judge will appoint a GAL when there is concern that a litigant is unable to advocate for themself due to a mental or physical impairment. The pool of Housing Court GALs consists of attorneys and non-attorneys alike. In some cases, GALs are compensated for their services and in other cases the GAL serves on a volunteer basis.