NCJFCJ’s Juvenile and Family Law Digest examines a variety of recent legislation and cases involving the juvenile and family courts. The October 2011 issue of the Digest discusses the U.S. Supreme Court granting certiorari in a case concerning the constitutionality of sentencing convicted teen murderers to life without parole, as well as proposed and enacted laws concerning the reinstatement of previously terminated parental rights. Discussion includes juvenile and family law cases that were appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and denied Certiorari:

• The lower court opinion held:  the testimony of a nurse-practitioner who performed a medical examination on an allegedly abused child was admissible; and the trial judge did not abuse his discretion by allowing an expert to testify about Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome.
• The lower court opinion held:  action brought by the adoptive parents of a child born in Louisiana, but adopted in New York, seeking to compel the State Registrar of Louisiana to issue a revised birth certificate reflecting both adoptive parents names did not present a federal question under the full faith and credit clause, and thus the action should have been brought in state court, not in federal court; refusal of Registrar of Louisiana's Office of Vital Records and Statistics to issue birth certificate with both parents' names did not deny parents full faith and credit of the New York adoption order; and Louisiana adoption law which did not permit any unmarried couples to obtain revised birth certificates with both parents' names did not violate the equal protection clause.
• The lower court opinion held:  state court's conclusion that juvenile Miranda warnings were clear and understandable constituted both an unreasonable determination of the facts and an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law.
• The lower court opinion held:  lower court did not err in its findings supporting the termination of appellant's parental rights.
  

The Digest is compiled each month by NCJFCJ’s research division, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, the nation’s only research center focused on juvenile justice related issues. This valuable online resource, containing the latest decisions in cases involving juvenile and family justice issues, is relied upon by judges, juvenile and family law professionals, and students around the country.

Don’t let another month go by without tapping into this valuable resource. The Digest is provided monthly to NCJFCJ members and subscribers; click below for more information about  becoming a member or Digest subscriber.

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