Family Court Reform

Change, Accountability, Reform, Enforcement

What is the difference between domestic violence and civil harassment?

What is the difference between domestic violence and civil harassment?

Domestic violence cases are a special category of civil harassment. Civil harassment occurs when one person annoys, harasses, injures, or threatens another person. However, a civil harassment case does not have to meet the relationship test established for domestic violence. Domestic violence cases can often be more volatile than civil harassment cases. Because of the special relationship between the parties, a domestic violence case often results in greater harm caused by one person against the other. Many states have different procedures for domestic violence and civil harassment. In addition, the available remedies for a domestic violence case may differ from the remedies available in a civil harassment case.

http://family-law.freeadvice.com/family-law/domestic_violence_harassment.htm






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world's largest free law library

Welcome to the world's largest free law library.

http://www.plol.org

Searching the Web is easy. Why should searching the law be any different? That's why Fastcase has created the Public Library of Law -- to make it easy to find the law online. PLoL is the largest free law library in the world, because we assemble law available for free scattered across many different sites -- all in one place. PLoL is the best starting place to find law on the Web.
What is available on PLoL?

* Cases from the U.S. Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals
* Cases from all 50 states back to 1997
* Federal statutory law and codes from all 50 states
* Regulations, court rules, constitutions, and more!

PLoL also includes free links to paid content on Fastcase. PLoL is already the Web's largest free law library, but with additional links from Fastcase, it is one of the most comprehensive law libraries in the world.
http://www.plol.org/Pages/Search.aspx


DISGUSTED WITH THE SYSTEM

TOT SENT HOME BY ACS DIES


MYSTERY IN QUEENS
By DOUGLAS MONTERO, JOHN DOYLE and CYNTHIA R. FAGEN

A Queens toddler yanked from his abusive mother two years ago was found mysteriously dead in his bed - only a month after the ACS gave him back to the 20-year-old woman.

The mother, Sheree Brown, who neighbors said is pregnant with her fourth child, was questioned yesterday but released without charges last night.

Cops are also considering whether 2-year-old Jashya, who had been in foster care, was killed accidentally by his 5-year-old brother, Ajustice. "It's not yet been ruled out as a possibility," said a police source.

Brown's boyfriend, Daquen Williams, 23, with whom she has an infant, was babysitting all three children in their Far Rockaway apartment while she went out Monday afternoon.

Brown told authorities she had put Jashya to bed for a nap at 2:30 p.m. and when she returned at 4 p.m., he was still asleep.

But at 8 p.m., when she checked in on him, he was unresponsive and she called 911. Jashya was rushed to St. John's Episcopal Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Sources told The Post that rigor mortis had already set in. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Brown insisted she had nothing to do with killing Jashya, instead blaming Ajustice - a boy she had once beaten, sources said.

The boy allegedly admitted he had been "wrestling" with his little brother, who had fallen off his bicycle in their apartment.

The child had bite marks and scratches on his face, sources said.

"Jashya was a playful kid. He liked to wrestle," said Brown's cousin, Chanell Purrington, 23. "All she was trying to do was make things better for her and her kids."

Brown has a long, troubling history with the city's Administration for Children's Services. Ajustice and Jashya were put in foster care in 2006. Jashya was just 6 months old and covered in burns when ACS removed him.

Police said there are no records of an arrest related to the incident.

ACS also removed her third child - whom police sources identified as 1-year-old Anaya Williams - soon after she was born.

Brown was locked up in February 2005 for hitting Ajustice.

Brown took parenting and anger-management classes and was receiving therapy in an effort to get her children back, sources said.

In February, a Family Court judge agreed to allow Jashya back home with his mom on a "trial basis," said court spokesman David Bookstaver. "Jashya was returned with the consent and advice of both ACS and the child's law guardian," he said.

A caseworker had visited the home last Wednesday and found nothing amiss, the agency said.
This year, the family was seen by both foster and preventive agencies more than 30 times, ACS said.

Additional reporting by Perry Chiaramonte


douglas.montero@nypost.com

TOT SENT HOME BY ACS DIES - New York Post

Judge Carol Smith Under Investigation

Barnstable Juvenile Court Judge under scrutiny for improprieties

By Nev Moore

The Commission on Judicial Conduct has opened an investigation on Judge Carol Smith of Barnstable Juvenile Court, based on several affidavits filed about her handling of DSS Care and Protection cases.

Judge Smith was the presiding justice in the Peterson, Crowley and Moore cases featured in past editions of Massachusetts News. The Commission investigates judges for violation of judicial canons, misconduct and violation of their oath to uphold the laws and the Constitution.

Some of the areas of impropriety alleged in Judge Smith¢s case are:

* Allowing the existing laws and policies governing the involvement of DSS to be consistently and grossly violated.

* Not allowing parents to present exculpatory evidence.

* Often not allowing parents to answer or rebut DSS allegations.

* Extreme delays and continuances.

* Permitting unprofessional behavior by DSS attorneys.

* Allowing perjury.

* Not upholding existing Supreme Court rulings, including warrantless search and seizure by DSS when they enter homes and schools.

The most damaging issue is the secret filing of false documents to receive federal funding. The documents, referred to as 29C forms, are intended to closely examine, in the case of each individual child, whether the federal requirements were met before removal of a child from his home. It is this form that documents compliance by DSS with their Title IV-E contract with the federal government to receive the federal funding. The document is filed through the court and must be signed by a judge.

Many parents are told by their court appointed attorneys that they "can¢t possibly win in front of Judge Smith," regardless of no evidence of wrongdoing. Parents are told to just forfeit the court proceedings because there is no point to them. They are told: "Just do what DSS wants, and eventually you will probably get your kids back." Parents are blindly walking into a fixed fight.

The Commission is interested in hearing testimony from anyone who has experienced similar problems in Barnstable Juvenile Court Care and Protection proceedings as their concern is the possibility of a consistent pattern of misconduct. Their number is (617) 725-8050, and all communications are strictly confidential.

http://www.massnews.com/past_issues/2000/7_July/juljud.htm
 

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LEARN, READ, HELP YOUR SELF, HELP YOUR KIDS

Stay Connected!
Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Visit often for the latest on a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption...
More About Us

A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
read all you can and learn EVERYTHING!!

http://www.childwelfare.gov/



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ANOTHER GREAT FREE LEGAL RESEARCH AND INFO SITE

http://www.lawsource.com/also/

E-mail: Administrator@LawSource.com

Welcome to LawSource.com . . . the home of American Law Sources On-line (ALSO!), providing a comprehensive, uniform, and useful compilation of links to freely accessible on-line sources of law for the United States and Canada. (See also a link below for Mexico.) This site contains additional links to sources of commentary and practice aids that are available without charge (or available at a reasonable charge from governmental and nonprofit providers).

First-time visitors should read about using ALSO! the first time. Some visitors should read about finding an attorney and getting legal advice. Some might want to know where to lodge a complaint about a lawyer or judge.

This site has a site-only search function that can be used to compile a list of entries containing links to various sources based on user-specified criteria (search key words). However, users generally will be more productive by simply navigating to appropriate pages.

FACT SHEET: KNOW YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS!

THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) enforces Federal laws that prohibit discrimination by health care and human service providers that receive funds from the DHHS. Such laws include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Community Service Assurance provisions of the Hill-Burton Act.

Discrimination Is Against the Law!

This Fact Sheet explains your rights to receive services and benefits in programs and activities funded by the DHHS. There are Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in such programs and activities based on:

Race Color National Origin

Disability Age Sex

Religion

Some of the institutions, programs and service providers that may receive funds from the DHHS are:

* Hospitals
* Medicaid and Medicare
* Physicians and other health care professionals in private practice with patients assisted by Medicaid
* Family Health Centers
* Community Mental Health Centers
* Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers
* Nursing Homes
* State agencies that are responsible for administering health care
* Foster Care Homes
* Day Care Centers
* Senior Citizen Centers
* Nutrition Programs
* State and local income assistance and human service agencies

HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION WITH OCR

If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, and in some cases sex or religion, by an entity (recipient) receiving financial assistance from the DHHS, you or your representative may file a complaint with OCR. Complaints must be filed within 180 days from the date of the alleged discriminatory act. OCR may extend the 180-day deadline if you can show "good cause." Include the following information in your written complaint, or request a Discrimination Complaint Form from OCR:

Your name, address and telephone number. You must sign your name.

If you file a complaint on someone's behalf, include your name, address, telephone number, and statement of your relationship to that person--e.g., spouse, attorney, friend, etc.

Name and address of the institution or agency you believe discriminated against you.

How, why and when you believe you were discriminated against.

Any other relevant information.

Send the complaint to the Regional Manager at the appropriate OCR Regional Office or to OCR Headquarters at the following address:

Director
Office for Civil Rights
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
H.H.H. Building, Room 509-F
Washington, D.C. 20201

Telephone : (202) 619-0403

E-Mail : ocrmail@hhs.gov

Website : http://www.hhs.gov/ocr

For information on the addresses and telephone numbers of OCR's Regional Offices, or to obtain information of a civil rights nature, please call the following toll-free OCR hotline numbers. OCR employees will make every effort to provide prompt service.

Voice : 1-800-368-1019

TDD : 1-800-537-7697

Blog Posts

Doctors worry organ donors not dead

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH Doctors worry organ donors not dead Feds fund project to snatch hearts from brain-injured newborns Posted: August 15, 2008 1:00 am Eastern © 2008 WorldNetDaily A federally funded research project has described how surgeons were able to snatch the hearts from severely brain-damaged newborns only seconds after they were disconnected from life-support units and transplant the organs into other diseased infants, but the work is raising alarms from those who say the donor… Continue

Posted by EYES WIDE OPEN INTERNATIONAL on August 18th, 2008 at 8:36pm — No Comments (Add)

Are you feeding your BIG FOOT?

Big Pharma is a Bigger Hoax than Bigfoot (satire) NaturalNews) As the internet is abuzz with talk about the latest Bigfoot hoax, little attention is being paid to another grand hoax in modern society: Big Pharma and the empty promises of prescription drugs. In the Bigfoot hoax, two hunters (Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer) claim they found a carcass of Bigfoot in the woods of Georgia, while in the Big Pharma hoax, drug companies claim to have found chemical treatments for diseases they totally m… Continue

Posted by EYES WIDE OPEN INTERNATIONAL on August 18th, 2008 at 8:34pm — No Comments (Add)

Loving Foods That Love You Back =FOR YOUR HEALTH=

Loving Foods That Love You Back =FOR YOUR HEALTH= NaturalNews) Ever really taken a slow walk through a supermarket? You can't escape the harsh reality that we are surrounded and bombarded by choices. It's at the point of being overwhelming in my opinion. Choices are good, but do we really need over a 150 brands of breakfast cereals? Apparently the answer is yes, if you care to inquire, the Food and Beverage industries who according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 2006 spent over $1.6 b… Continue

Posted by EYES WIDE OPEN INTERNATIONAL on August 18th, 2008 at 8:33pm — No Comments (Add)

UK Health Secretary Orders Mass Fluoridation of England's Children

UK Health Secretary Orders Mass Fluoridation of England's Children NaturalNews) The United Kingdom's Health Secretary says that fluoridation of the water supply is needed to fight tooth decay among poor children, a move opposed by many health advocates. "Fluoridation is carried out by water companies in violation of their customers' human right to refuse consent to any medical intervention," said the National Pure Water Association, noting that "by presenting fluoridation as a means of prevent… Continue

Posted by EYES WIDE OPEN INTERNATIONAL on August 18th, 2008 at 8:32pm — No Comments (Add)

Sun Exposure Saves Ten Times as Many Lives Via Vitamin D than Die From Skin Cancer

NaturalNews) The number of lives saved by people doubling their sun exposure might be 10 times higher than the number of fatal skin cancers that would result, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Institute for Cancer Research in Oslo, Norway, and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Exposure to the ultraviolet radiation from sunlight increases the risk of developing skin cancer, but also increases the body's production of vitamin D. The connection be… Continue

Posted by EYES WIDE OPEN INTERNATIONAL on August 14th, 2008 at 12:36am — No Comments (Add)

Pro Se Law Site


http://www.pro-selaw.org/pro-selaw/index.asp


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This website is designed as a resource center on self-representation in civil legal matters. Our purpose is to provide a collection of materials and resources that can be used to create legal service delivery systems that are based on the concept of "pro se" or "self" representation within federally funded legal services programs, courts, pro bono programs, and other community-based programs.
Pro Se means "on one's own behalf." A 1991 American Bar Association study of self-represented litigants showed:

Persons with incomes less than $50,000 are more likely to represent themselves.
About 20% of self-represented litigants report they can afford an attorney but do not want one.
Self-represented persons are more likely to be satisfied with the judicial process than those who are represented by attorneys.
Almost 75% of those who represented themselves in court said they would do it again.
Self-representation, when combined with the power of modern information technology can be an important means of providing increased access to the legal system.
This resource center contains:

A searchable Directory of Pro Se Programs operated by legal service providers;

White papers and research on the research concept;

A Discussion space where organizations that want to design and operate pro se assistance programs can post questions and receive answers from other
professionals who are engaged in operating pro se programs.


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Legally Kidnapped

Foster carer jailed for child sex

Foster carer jailed for child sex

A former foster father has been jailed for 12 years after raping two girls and abusing other children.

Leslie Hanson, of Drummuir, in Moray, committed a catalogue of sex crimes against child victims at addresses in the area between 1990 and 1998.

MEDICATION PROTOCOL

MEDICATION PROTOCOL

A state mental health plan naming the preferred psychiatric drugs for children has been quietly put on hold over fears drug companies may have given researchers consulting contracts, speakers fees or other perks to help get their products on the list.

Group takes state back to court over foster kids

Group takes state back to court over foster kids

A child advocacy group says the state has failed to live up to a court settlement in which the state agreed to find permanent homes for more children in foster care.

Children’s Rights Inc. today (Aug. 19) asked a judge to find the state in contempt of the 2005 settlement.

what we think of ourselves



To navigate the social universe, you need to know what others think of you—although the clearest view depends on how you see yourself

by Carlin Flora

"...While many profess not to care what others think, we are, in the end, creatures who want and need to fit into a social universe. Humans are psychologically suited to interdependence. Social anxiety is really just an innate response to the threat of exclusion; feeling that we're not accepted by a group leaves us agitated and depressed.

The ability to intuit how people see us is what enables us to authentically connect to others and to reap the deep satisfaction that comes with those ties. We can never be a fly on the wall to our own personality dissections, watching as people pick us apart after meeting us. Hence we are left to rely on the accuracy of what psychologists call our "metaperceptions"—the ideas we have about others' ideas about us...

...Narcissism also blocks metaperception. Instead of wincing, as "normal" subjects do, when forced to see themselves onscreen, narcissists become even more self-biased, finds Oliver John, professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. When he and his team videotaped people diagnosed as pathological narcissists, a group absorbed with themselves, their subjects loved watching the footage and uniformly thought they came off beautifully! The finding underscores how fiercely we defend our self-concepts, even if they reflect psychological instability..."

Dare To Be Yourself

..."The philosophical question is, do we invent this authentic self?" says Portmann. "Or do we discover it?" Socrates believed we discover it; the existentialists say we invent it.

from the MSN group of Narcissism
 

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