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Table of Contents
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
I. Purposes of the Children’s Code
A. Child Welfare
B. Family Ties
C. Child’s Best Interests
D. Productive Members of Society
E. Cultural Context of Juvenile Court Cases
F. Culture Must be Defined Broadly
G. What is Context?
II. Venue and Jurisdiction
A. Venue
B. Subject Matter Jurisdiction
C. Personal Jurisdiction
D. Magistrate Jurisdiction
E. Interstate Compact on Juveniles
F. Interstate Compact on Placement of Children
G. Concurrent Jurisdiction with Criminal Cases
H. Concurrent Jurisdiction with Domestic Relations Cases
I. Concurrent Jurisdiction with Interstate Custody Cases
J. Concurrent Jurisdiction with Probate Cases
K. Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act
III. Judges, Magistrates, and Parties
A. Judges
B. Magistrates
C. County Attorneys
D. Parent’s Attorneys
E. Guardian ad litem
F. C.A.S.A.
G. Family Court Facilitators
H. Grandparent Intervention
I. Relative or Foster Parent Intervention
IV. Juvenile Court Procedures
A. Court
B. Authorities
C. Process
D. Summons
E. Service
F. Notice
G. Default Judgments
H. Warrants
I. Hearings
J. Confidentiality
K. Case Management and Discovery
L. Subpoenas
M. Mediation
N. Family Group Conferencing
O. Case Conferences
V. Judicial Reviews and Appeals
A. Judicial Reviews
B. Preserving Issues
C. Standard of Judicial Review
D. Appeals
E. Interlocutory Appeals
F. Commencing the Appeal
G. Standard of Appellate Review
H. Continuing Jurisdiction
VI. Resources
A. Court Improvement
B. Social Science Research
C. Child Development
D. Technical Assistance
E. Lighter Side
2. DEPENDENCY AND NEGLECT
I. Reporting Abuse and Neglect
A. What is Reported: Defining Child Abuse and Neglect
B. Mandatory Reporters
C. Reporting Procedures
D. Investigation
E. After Investigation
F. Temporary Custody
G. Court Action
H. DHS Rulemaking
II. Temporary Custody Hearing
A. Emergency Custody
B. Temporary Custody Hearing
C. Advisement
D. Placement Preferences and Required Findings
E. Other Temporary Orders
F. Custody Hearings for Special Circumstances
G. Review of Custody Orders
H. Legal Custody Options
III. Dependency and Neglect Petition
A. Filing
B. Contents of the Petition
C. Respondents
D. Responsive Pleadings
E. Special Circumstances
F. Hearing on the Petition
IV. D&N Adjudication
A. Purpose
B. Proof
C. Timeline
D. Special Circumstances
E. Jury Trial
F. Findings
G. Dismissal
H. Sustain the Petition
I. One Parent’s Admission
J. Deferred Adjudication
K. Costs
V. Disposition
A. Dispositional Hearing
B. Timeline
C. Continuances
D. Alternatives
E. Kinship Care
F. Final Judgment
G. Transfer of Custody
H. Findings to Transfer Custody
I. Review of Placement
J. Treatment Plan
VI. Involuntary Placement Review
A. Timeline
B. Before Hearing
C. Hearing
D. Suggested Questions on the Placement
E. Compliance with the Treatment Plan
F. Suggested Questions on Compliance
G. Findings to Continue Custody
H. Suggested Questions on Efforts to Reunify the Family
I. Permanency Planning Goals
J. Suggested Questions on Permanency Goals
K. Checklist for the Review Hearing
L. The Order
M. Further Reviews
VII. Voluntary Placement Review
A. Agreement
B. Petition for Review of Need for Placement
C. Before Hearing
D. Hearing
E. The Order
F. Further Reviews
VIII. Permanency Hearing
A. Timeline
B. Before Hearing
C. Permanency Hearing Options
D. Deciding Alternatives
E. Required Findings
F. Permanent Home
G. Further Reviews
IX. Criteria for Termination
A. Definitions
B. Criteria
C. Additional Findings
D. No Less Drastic Alternatives
E. Special Issues
X. Termination Procedures
A. Motion to Terminate Parental Rights
B. Advisement
C. Hearing
D. Disposition
E. Post-Termination Preferences
XI. Post-Termination Review Hearing
A. Hearing
B. Adoptive Placement
C. Further Reviews
3. RELINQUISHMENT AND ADOPTION
I. Relinquishment
A. Requirements for Relinquishment
B. Relinquishment Petition
C. Before Hearing
D. Terminating Legal Rights of the Other Parent
E. Hearing
F. Questions for Relinquishment
G. Order
H. Revocation of Relinquishment
II. Adoption
A. Who May Adopt
B. Who May Be Adopted
C. Adoption Petition
D. Adoption Home Study
E. Other Attachments to the Adoption Petition
F. Before Hearing
G. Adoption Hearing
H. Suggested Questions on Adoption
I. Termination of Parental Rights in Adoption
J. Findings for Adoption
K. Stepparent Adoptions
L. Foreign Adoptions
M. Finalizing the Adoption
N. Records
4. PATERNITY AND SUPPORT
I. Paternity
A. Constitutional Rights
B. Presumed Fathers
C. Acknowledgment of Paternity
D. Before Hearing
E. Paternity Hearing
F. Allocation of Parenting Time and Parental Responsibility
G. Modifying Parenting Time
H. Modifying a Decree Allocating Parental Responsibility
II. Support
A. Filing
B. Support Orders
C. Modifying Support Orders
D. Noncompliance with Support Orders
5. MENTAL HEALTH
1. Jurisdiction
II. Children in a D&N Action Who May Be Mentally Ill
A. Mental Health Prescreen
B. Existence of Mental Illness
C. Appointment of a GAL or Counsel
D. Required Findings for Continued Hospitalization
E. Suspend or Dismiss Proceedings
6. IMMIGRATION CONSIDERATIONS
I. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
A. Summary
B. Eligibility
C. Application
D. Additional Requirements
II. U Visas for Minors and Their Parents
A. Basic Statutory Elements
B. Inadmissibility and Waivers
C. The U Visa and Children
D. Conclusion
III. Juvenile Convictions and Immigration Status
A. Effect of Criminal Conduct and Convictions in General
B. Juvenile Adjudications Are Not Convictions
C. Juvenile Adjudications Will Affect Applications for Naturalization
D. Youthful Offender Exception
E. Juvenile Conduct Which Triggers Inadmissibility Without a Conviction
F. Juvenile Conduct Which Triggers Deportability Without a Conviction
G. Conclusion
IV. Definitions
7. TRUANCY
I. Truancy Law and Policy
A. Compulsory School Attendance
B. Compelling School Attendance
C. Written Policy Required by the School District
D. Deaf and Blind Children
II. Truancy and the Court
A. Hearing
B. Defenses
C. Orders
D. Contempt
E. Sample Truancy Advisement
8. INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT
I. Involuntary Proceedings
A. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Guidelines
B. The ICWA and Child Custody Proceedings
C. Who Is an Indian Child?
D. Jurisdiction and Orders
E. Standing to Raise ICWA Violations
II. Notice
A. Obligation to Notify
B. Timing of the Notice
C. Contents of the Notice
D. Hearing Following Notice
E. Repeated Notice
III. Procedural Requirements
A. Intervention
B. Right to Counsel
C. Right to Access Court Records
D. Hearings
E. Highest Standard
F. Exclusive Jurisdiction
G. Transfer
H. Burden of Proof/Necessary Findings
I. Active Efforts
J. Qualified Expert Witnesses
K. Placement Preferences
L. Foster Care Placements
M. Adoptive Placements
N. Good Cause to Overcome Placement Preferences
O. Adult Adoptees
IV. Voluntary Proceedings
A. Notice
B. Confidentiality
C. Consent
D. Contents of Consent Document
E. Collateral Attack on Voluntary Placements
V. Adoptions
VI. Checklists
A. Shelter Hearing/First Appearance Advisement
B. Department Checklist Before Shelter Hearing
C. Respondent Parent Counsel Checklist
D. Dispositional Hearing
E. Department Checklist for Dispositional Hearing
F. Respondent Parent Counsel Checklist for Dispositional Hearing
G. Permanency Planning Hearing
H. Department Checklist for Permanency Planning Hearing
I. Respondent Parent Counsel Checklist for Permanency Planning Hearing
J. Termination Hearing
K. Department Checklist for Termination Hearing
L. Respondent Parent Checklist for Termination Hearing
9. SERVING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
I. Statutory Overview of Educational Disability Law
A. Disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)
B. Disability Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
C. Disability Under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
D. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Overview
E. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
F. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
G. Adoption and Safe Families Act (2000)(ASFA)
II. Child Find and Special Education Services
A. Child Find, Identification and Evaluation
B. IEP and Follow-Up
C. Early Childhood Services
D. Due Process
E. School Discipline Under IDEA
III. Parents, Surrogate Parents, and Educational Decision-Makers
A. Parent under IDEA and Accompanying Regulations
B. Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP) under IDEA and Regulations
IV. Special Education and Child Welfare
A. Dependency or Neglect Proceedings
B. Special Education and Foster Care
V. Special Education and Juvenile Justice
A. Juveniles With Disabilities in Juvenile Justice
B. Special Education and the Schools
C. Special Education Issues at Different Stages of Juvenile Justice Proceedings
VI. Transition Foster Care and Juvenile Justice
A. Transition Overview
B. Transition Services Under the IDEA
C. Transition from Foster Care
D. College Transition
E. Transition from Incarceration
VII. Resources and Acknowledgements
A. Annotated Resources
B. Acknowledgments
VIII. Checklists and Practice Tips
A. Identification and Evaluation
B. IEP
C. Section 504
D. Early Education
E. NCLB
F. Parents/ Surrogate Parents
G. Foster Care
H. Transition
I. School Discipline
J. Delinquency Proceedings
10. CONTEMPT OF COURT
I. Contempt
A. Procedures
B. Sanctions
C. Punitive Sanction Findings
D. Remedial Sanction Findings
II. Contempt in D&N Cases
III. Status Offenses
Acknowledgement
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