Committee on Children and the Law
Presents:
The Robert J. Schack
Memorial Program
Children in the
Court:
Concerns, Challenges
and Benefits of Youth Participation in Court Proceedings
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY
1, 2008
1535 Broadway,
9:00 a.m.-12:10 p.m.
(3.5 MCLE Credits)
Majestic
Complex (6th Floor)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Under New Yorks MCLE rules, this
program has been approved for all attorneys including those newly admitted for
a total of 3.5 credit
hours in the area of professional practice.
Discounts and Scholarships: New York State Bar Association members may apply
for a discount or scholarship to attend this program, based on financial
hardship. This discount applies to the educational portion of the program only.
Under that policy, any member of the Association who has a genuine basis of
financial hardship can receive a discount or scholarship, depending on the
circumstances. To apply for a discount or scholarship, please send your request
in writing to the New York State Bar Association, Attn: Catheryn Teeter,
Special Note for Law Guardian and Family Court Assigned Counsel
Panel Members: Members of Appellate
Division Law Guardian Panels are eligible to apply for a tuition waiver for
this program. If you qualify for this
waiver, you cannot register online. You
must obtain a 2008 Waiver Form from
your Law Guardian Director or download the waiver form at http://www.nysba.org/ChildrenandtheLaw, attach
it to the completed Annual Meeting Registration Form, and fax or mail back the completed forms to the number/address
listed. A limited number of waivers are
available on a first come/first serve basis for Family Court or Family Court
Appeals assigned counsel panel members who are not currently on a law guardian
panel. To inquire about these waivers,
please call Catheryn Teeter at (518) 487-5621 before January 22, 2008. No waivers
can be issued after the cutoff date. Please note that if you are not a member of
the
Committee Chair Program
Chair
HON. EDWARD
O. SPAIN GEORGE E. REED, JR., ESQ.
Associate Justice, Appellate Division White Plains
Third Department,
Children in the Court:
Concerns, Challenges and Benefits of
Youth Participation in Court Proceedings
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An in-depth look at the benefits and concerns of involving
children directly in their own court proceeding. What involvement is required,
what participation is permitted, and what practices should be required and
permitted. How to
determine what involvement to ask for, and how to prepare children to go to
court and be engaged participants in their own case.
AGENDA
8:30-9:00 a.m. Registration
9:00-9:05 Welcome and Opening Remarks
Program Chair
9:05-9:30 Children at Court and in Court:
An Overview of Current Perspectives, Benefits and Challenges of Youth
Involvement In Child Welfare Proceedings
Why involving children and youth in
court is important: the critical role of
the court and legal process
National picture: current perspectives and practices
Benefits, concerns and challenges in
regard to bringing children into the court process
Promoting opportunities for youth involvement
Youth "speak out"
MIRIAM A. KRINSKY, ESQ.
9:30-9:55 The Psychology of Inclusiveness
Empowerment vs. protection,
participation vs. decision: Weighing the benefits of including children in the
court process against the costs
Perception and desire for
involvement among subject children of Family Court and divorce proceedings:
Age, teen brain, family context, and
risk factors
ROBIN M. DEUTSCH, Ph. D.
9:55-10:20 Involvement
of Children in
Traditional level of involvement of children
When do children have a right to appear?
Varying practices in
Innovations in increasing involvement
HON.
MARTHA WALSH HOOD
10:20-10:30 Coffee
Break
10:30-10:55 Children in Child Welfare Proceedings
Role of the attorney for the child
in abuse/neglect hearings: client
participation and the client-directed advocacy model
Unique challenges in implementing a
"children in the court"
model in
Preparing and debriefing your young
client when appearing in court
Crossover clients: comparing the delinquency/PINS models and the
abuse/neglect model currently in use
TAMARA A. STECKLER, ESQ.
10:55-11:20 Perspective of Foster Care Children
Impact on children of omission from
the process and exclusive reliance on caseworkers and law guardians for input
Creative approaches to participation of children
Should inclusiveness be the prima
facie standard where children are either in foster care or facing substantial
possibility of placement in foster care?
JACLYN J. JENKINS
11:20-11:45 Child Custody, Visitation and Family
Offense Proceedings
What standards should be set for childrens involvement in
private custody, visitation and domestic violence cases?
What forms of involvement are
appropriate for children of different ages?
Should in camera interviews be
routinely used, should they be used early in the case, and what alternatives are
there?
Mediation and alternatives to
litigation: Does keeping cases out of
court mean keeping children out of the process?
PROF. ANDREW I. SCHEPARD
11:45-12:10 Panel Discussion and Questions
Program Chair