Giving Grandparents a LIFT: Program Teaches Kinship Caregivers About the Family Court System

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 337-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M. Beck
PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 796-798
Author(s):  
Florence M. Kelley

It is important to know what the courts can do and cannot do in the area of abused and neglected children. Often the Family Court is listed as an agency. It is not an agency. It is part of the court system. Its operation is circumscribed by the concept of being a real court. For a long time there was a theory that the Family Court or Juvenile Court could be a kind of social work oriented operation, not quite a real court, not truly a social work agency. This concept has been abandoned. The Family Court is a court of record and is in all aspects a court. It is dependent in the action it takes on evidence which must conform to strict rules that are laid down. It is an adversary proceeding. It is not enough to produce a child that looks as if it has been beaten. A judge in the Family Court also has before him the person who may be charged with having beaten the child. That person, be it a parent or guardian, is entitled to counsel, to help in his defense. The adversary process then takes place. Persons bring forth evidence to show that the parent did abuse the child. The parent is enabled under the court system to bring forth before the judge evidence that he or she did not do it. It is then up to the judge to give this evidence due weight and make a decision as to whether or not the allegations have been proven.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 591
Author(s):  
Mark Henaghan ◽  
Ruth Ballantyne

This article illustrates the different ways in which Professor Bill Atkin has shown where family law legislative reforms have fallen short in making the rights and well-being of children the paramount consideration in family law disputes, and properly taking account of children's views on matters that affect them. It examines Atkin's thought-provoking analysis of the introduction of the Care of Children Act 2004 and the changes made in recent years to the Child Support Act 1991, the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 and the Family Court system as a whole. The article also explores Atkin's approval of the amendments to the Crimes Act 1961 preventing parents from using physical discipline against their children for the purposes of correction. Overall, the article highlights Atkin's extensive contribution to family law and demonstrates what needs to be changed to ensure New Zealand family law and society becomes more child-focused in the future.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 318-319
Author(s):  
Bernard A. Yablin

The Psychosocial Committee is to be commended for its report on the pediatrician and divorce in the July issue of Pediatrics. I would like to add the following: The role of the pediatrician should extend well beyond the divorce and immediate adjustment process. Firstly, there should be greater involvement between both the pediatrician and the Family Court system to help prevent misplacement of the child in custody decisions. (I believe that various groups within the American Academy of Pediatrics are already working with judicial/legal groups to bring to them a greater knowledge of child development and mental health).


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Lens

Summary This study explores the courtroom interactions between judges, attorneys, and parents charged with child abuse or neglect. Drawing on ethnographic observations of court cases in a Family Court located in the northeastern United States, this study seeks to understand how judges encourage or inhibit parents’ participation and the strategies and tactics used to influence parental behaviors and obtain cooperation with court orders. Findings On one end of the spectrum are judges who engage little, or not at all with parents, preferring to speak only to the professional court actors. On the other end of the spectrum is a more participatory approach, with judges weaving parents into court room exchanges and engaging them in informational and decision-making dialogs. A similar divergence appears when soliciting cooperation from parents, with some judges relying on shaming rituals and others using a softer approach that incorporates praise and support. Applications Strategic interventions are identified that will increase parents’ cooperation and satisfaction with the Family Court system. These include vigorously engaging in both informational and decision-making dialogs with parents and using rituals of praise and support, rather than shaming.


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (03) ◽  
pp. 701-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Lens

The last several decades have seen a proliferation of specialized courts, including within the family court system, that deviate from the adversarial model, and that rely on therapeutic jurisprudence and other problem-solving techniques. Whether and how traditional family courts can incorporate the best practices of these specialized courts is a largely understudied area. Drawing from ethnographic observations of a traditional urban family court, this study finds that some judges are able to transform nontherapeutic courtrooms into therapeutic ones despite obstacles. These “against the grain” actors, who act contrary to the institution's dominant norms and practices, demonstrate how therapeutic jurisprudence and other problem-solving techniques can be utilized in traditional courtrooms.


PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
April R. Bradley ◽  
Brian VanFossen

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document