Each year nearly 400,000 children in the United States are thrust into court through no fault of their own. Often these children also become victims of the United States' overburdened child welfare system. A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those for whom home placement is being determined in juvenile court. Most of the children are victims of abuse and neglect. This fact sheet, through a question and answer format, explains what CASA is, the role of a CASA volunteer, affiliations of CASA, and the history of CASA. A map of the United States details the locations of the 556 CASA programs located in all 50 states. (JBJ)