NCJ Number
152357
Date Published
1994
Length
535 pages
Annotation
This manual for Texas attorneys in child abuse and neglect litigation contains major sections on resources and organizations, a guide to termination cases, legal articles, social science articles, and statistics.
Abstract
Profiles and directories of resources and organizations include a description of the structure and activities of the Texas Legal Resource Center for Child Abuse and Neglect, bibliographies, the Office of Prosecutors Assistance, children's advocacy centers, and court-appointed special advocate programs. The guide to termination cases consists of a list of Texas cases that deal with termination of parental rights and paternity, a topical index, and a statutory index. Fourteen legal articles discuss various aspects of the legal processing of child abuse and neglect cases. Topics addressed include the representation of a child as an ad litem, checklists for child abuse and neglect hearings, the representation of parents in child protection proceedings, evidence collection protocol, and child witness competency determinations. A section on forms contains three sections: pleadings and motions, discovery, and orders. Seventeen articles present social science knowledge and research pertinent to child abuse. Among the topics discussed are the treatment of child sexual abuse, the biases of child sexual abuse experts, guidelines for child sexual abuse examinations, and the effects of false allegations of sexual abuse on children and families. Four articles address statistics on child abuse and neglect.