Appointment of a guardian ad litem.

(a) Upon the request of a ward, protected person, or respondent, or the attorney of a ward, protected person, or respondent, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the rights of the ward, protected person, or respondent in proceedings under AS 13.26.201 — 13.26.580. The court shall make the appointment if the court is satisfied that, because of impaired ability effectively to receive and evaluate information regarding the proceedings or because of impaired ability to communicate decisions regarding the proceedings, the ward, protected person, or respondent is incapable of determining the ward's, protected person's, or respondent's position regarding the issues involved in the pending proceedings, and (1) a guardian or conservator has not been appointed;

(2) the interests of the ward, protected person, or respondent conflict with those of the ward's, protected person's, or respondent's guardian or conservator; or

(3) the appointment is otherwise in the interests of justice.

(b) The guardian ad litem shall assist the ward, protected person, or respondent in determining the ward's, protected person's, or respondent's interests in regard to the legal proceedings that involve the ward, protected person, or respondent. If the ward, protected person, or respondent is entirely incapable of determining those interests, the guardian ad litem shall make the determination of those interests and advise the court and counsel for all parties accordingly. The guardian ad litem shall (1) inquire thoroughly into all the circumstances that a prudent ward, protected person, or respondent would consider in determining the ward's, protected person's, or respondent's own interests in the proceedings, including any prior relevant statements made or actions taken by the ward, protected person, or respondent; and

(2) encourage the ward, protected person, or respondent to participate, to the maximum extent possible, in all decisions and to act on the ward's, protected person's, or respondent's own behalf on all matters in which the ward, protected person, or respondent is able.

(c) The attorney for the ward, protected person, or respondent may be appointed as the guardian ad litem for the ward, protected person, or respondent if there is no other party readily available and able to serve as a guardian ad litem and the court determines that the appointment is appropriate under the standards set out in (a) of this section. When a person who has been appointed by the court as the attorney for the ward, protected person, or respondent is appointed to act as the guardian ad litem for the ward, protected person, or respondent under this subsection, the appointment of the person as the attorney ends, and the person appointed as the guardian ad litem shall act exclusively as a guardian ad litem for the ward, protected person, or respondent.

(d) The office of public advocacy shall provide guardian ad litem services to persons who would suffer financial hardship or become dependent upon a government agency or a private person or agency if the services were not to be provided at state expense.