Children's Rights

Probate lawyers are taking steps to secure LGBTQ+ families’ rights in case Supreme Court limits them

Family law could look very different in the near future, especially for nontraditional families, who are concerned that their protections may not be as secure. This is why many estate planners are advising that these clients create and make changes to their legal documents stat.

Aug 1, 2021 1:20 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: SCOTUS tosses child slavery case; DOJ drops suit and probe over Bolton book

SCOTUS tosses suit over child slavery in Ivory Coast The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Nestlé USA and Cargill can’t be sued here under the Alien Tort Statute for allegedly providing assistance to Ivory Coast cocoa farms that used child slaves. In an opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas, the…

Jun 17, 2021 3:48 PM CDT

Supreme Court rules for Catholic foster agency that refuses to place children with same-sex couples

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Philadelphia violated the free exercise clause when it refused to contract with a Catholic foster care agency that refuses to place children with same-sex couples.

Jun 17, 2021 10:01 AM CDT

In New York, a 7-year-old is arrested for rape; should the age for juvenile prosecutions be raised?

Children in New York can be charged as juvenile delinquents beginning at age 7, which explains why a boy of that age could be charged with rape in March in upstate Brasher Falls, New York.

Jun 4, 2021 12:24 PM CDT

ABA-backed Family Justice Initiative has improved access to counsel in child welfare cases

For parents and their children, the child welfare legal system can be confusing and intimidating. That’s where a good lawyer comes in.

Jun 1, 2021 12:20 AM CDT

If not removed, rock with Confederate flag should be factored into custody dispute, appeals court says

A mother in New York risks losing shared custody of her mixed-race child as a result of a small Confederate flag painted on a rock near her driveway.

May 11, 2021 2:36 PM CDT

Juvenile can get life without parole for murder without finding of permanent incorrigibility, Supreme Court rules

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a defendant can be sentenced to life without parole for a homicide committed as a juvenile without a separate finding of permanent incorrigibility.

Apr 22, 2021 11:43 AM CDT

Top Massachusetts court vacates 90-day contempt sentence for teen who called judge B-word

A 16-year-old girl who called a judge a “dumb, white b- - - -” was wrongly sentenced to 90 days in youth services for contempt of court by the judge she insulted, according to an April 12 decision by the top court in Massachusetts.

Apr 14, 2021 4:31 PM CDT

Secret camera recordings can be used against nanny at trial, state supreme court says

A divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that secretly recorded audio can be used against a nanny accused of assaulting three young children.

Mar 26, 2021 9:50 AM CDT

4th Circuit rules for school that nixed child’s essay on acceptance of transgender people

A federal appeals court has ruled for an elementary school that removed a 10-year-old girl's essay on acceptance of transgender people from an essay collection placed in the classroom and distributed to parents.

Mar 4, 2021 2:50 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Judge in ethics trouble for school dispute; lawyer sues ex-client who punched him

Panel recommends judge’s removal for school-dispute conduct A judicial ethics panel has recommended removal of a judge in Union County, New Jersey, based on her conduct after her children’s Catholic school eliminated its girls’ basketball team. The judge, Theresa Mullen, was accused of obstructive deposition conduct in a civil suit…

Feb 5, 2021 4:18 PM CST

New Mexico tosses restriction that prevented parents in law school from receiving child care subsidy

After hearing about child care concerns from a campus parent group, the University of New Mexico School of Law School convinced the state in September to change a child care subsidy rule, which until then prohibited eligibility for graduate and postgraduate students.

Dec 15, 2020 8:47 AM CST

ABA will advocate to end unreasonable restraints, seclusion and searches of children

Leslie Margolis once represented a 7-year-old child in foster care who had been restrained more than 147 times by his school’s staff. Margolis shared the story with the House of Delegates at the ABA Annual Meeting as it considered a trio of resolutions related to the well-being and rights of children and youth.

Oct 1, 2020 12:30 AM CDT

How losing RBG could shape criminal justice for years to come

Juvenile lifers, victims of police misconduct and immigrants convicted of minor crimes are among those with a lot at stake before the changing court

Sep 25, 2020 10:11 AM CDT

Foster care agencies that contract with the government shouldn’t discriminate, ABA says in amicus brief

When contracting with the city of Philadelphia to provide foster care services, Catholic Social Services must adhere to the government’s nondiscrimination policies, the ABA told the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday.

Aug 21, 2020 3:00 PM CDT