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Advocacy for Children & Youth

Key Legislation from Connecticut General Statutes:

  • Title 10 - Education
  • Chapter 120 Title 46b - Juvenile Matters: Definitions
  • Chapter 129 Title 46b - Committment of Child or Youth
  • Chapter 129a Title 46b - Examination by Physician; Appointment of Counsel and Guardian ad Litem
  • Chapter 28 Title 17a - DCF:  Definitions; Confidentiality of Records; Procedures for Aggrieved Persons; Regulations

To locate the most current version of the statute, go to the Connecticut General Statutes and enter the Chapter number and Title number into the appropriate box and then select search.

 

Key Courtroom Resources

Key Decisions

  • In re Tayquon H., 76 Conn. App. 693, 821 A.2d 796 (2003) (pdf) - holding (1) between a Guardian ad Litem and a natural guardian, the Guardian ad Litem is the best person to represent the child's best interest, and (2) the child's attorney must abide by a client's decisions as to how to proceed in the case, but if the attorney believes the decisions are not in the child's best interest, the attorney must so inform the court who will then appoint a Guadridan ad Litem to represent the child's best interests.

  • In re Christina M., 90 Conn. App. 565, 579, 877 A.2d 941 (2005) (pdf) - holding that the court, in accordance with the constitution, properly appointed counsel to represent the minor's legal interests and when requested to do so appointed a Guardian ad Litem to represent the child's best interest.

  • Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1, 678 A.2d 126 (1996) - Connecticut Supreme Court holds that De facto racial segregation in the Hartford metropolitan area public schools violates the right of children in such towns to an equal educational opportunity. More documents available here.  See also, A Superior Education for Connecticut's 21st Century Learners: Five-year Comprehensive Plan for Education 2006-2011 [PDF]

Research Guides

Practice Manuals

  • Representing Children Worldwide (RCW) - Connecticut Page
  • Connecticut Practice Book - also available in print - KFC4129 .A196 - L3 Reading Room
  • Connecticut Family Law Pamphlet (Statutes and Rules) - KFC 3680 .C65 subser. 2007 - Reading Room
    Part of the Connecticut Practice series, comes with Family Law and Practice w/ Forms. Gathers the current version of many CT family law statutes in one place (unannotated)
  • Connecticut Probate Deskbook - Nancy E. Blair, et al. - KFC 3744 .B55 1988 (2011-2012 updates) - Reading Room
    Mostly forms and probate-related statutes; includes forms for termination of parental rights etc.
  • Probate Jurisdiction and Procedure in Connecticut, 2d - KFC 3744 .F659 1999 (2011 upcates) - L3 Reading Room
    Has tables w/ CGS & its own chapters (brief narrative)
  • Child Custody and Visitation in Connecticut - Barry F. Armata, et al - KFC3704.6 .Z9 C45 1988 - Reading Room
  • Early Termination of Parental Rights: developing appropriate statutory grounds - Mark Hardin. Washington, DC: ABA Center on Children and the Law - KF 547 .H374 1996 - L5
  • The Rights of Families: The Authoritative ACLU Guide to the Rights of Family Members Today - Martin Guggenheim et al. Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press - KF 505 .Z9 G84 1996 - L5
    Includes sections on child custody, child support, foster care, adoption, and more.

Treatises, Books, and Other Publications

  • ABA Center on Children and the Law (publications page: Child Court Works - free online newsletter; ABA Child Law Practice Online - monthly publication - $50 student subscription)
  • ABA's Children's Legal Rights Journal (electronic subscription via Hein Online for Yale affiliates only)
  • Juvenile Law - KFC3680 .C65 v.1A 2008 (latest received 2011-2012) - LES
  • Children and the Criminal Law in Connecticut, 1635-1855: Changing Perceptions of Childhood - Nancy Hathaway Steenburg - KFC4195 .S74 2005 - L3 Reading Room
  • Family Law in a Nutshell - Harry D. Krause, David D. Meyer - KF505 .Z9 K7 2007 - L5
  • The Contexts of Juvenile Justice Decision Making: When Race Matters - Michael J. Leiber - HV9105.I8 L45 2003 - UES
  • "Not of Full Age": Children and the Criminal Law in Connecticut, 1635-1855 - Nancy Hathaway Steenburg - Dissertation (Ph.D.), U.Conn., 2002 - LSF
  • An Assessment of Minority Overrepresentation in Connecticut's Juvenile Justice System: Submitted to the State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, Policy Development and Planning Division - Eliot C. Hartstone, Dorinda M. Richetelli - HV9105.C8 H373 1995 - UES

Connecticut General Assembly (CGA)
Search current Connecticut General Statutes and much more

Connecticut Select Committee on Children 
An appointed committee within the CGA that conducts public hearings, issues reports of its findings, and originates and reports bills it deems necessary concerning children; contains a list of committee members, agendas, meeting minutes, transcripts, and more

Official Code
General Statutes of Connecticut - CGA | KFC3629 .C66 - L3 Reading Room
Contains case annotations, statutory histories, historical notes, and cross references to related statutory sections and to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut

Unofficial Code
Connecticut General Statutes Annotated - Lexis | Westlaw | KFC3630 1958 .A43 - L3 Reading Room
Contains extensive annotations, citations to Connecticut publications, and more

Official Session Laws
Public and Special Acts of Connecticut (West) - CGA | KFC3625 .P8 - L3 Reading Room
Includes the full-text of laws passed during each legislative session

Unofficial Session Laws
Connecticut Legislative Service - Westlaw | Lexis | KFC3625 .W47

 

2002 - Current - L3 Reading Room; 2001 and earlier - LES

Bills

Public Acts

Legislative Publications

  •  Summary of Public Acts - KFC3615 .G45 (1979 - Current) - LES and L3 Reading Room
  • Legislative Record Index (bill status) - KFC3612 .L51 (1947 - Current) - LES
  • Office of Legislative Research Reporter - P Ol75 - L3 Reference Desk

State of Connecticut - Judicial Branch - Publications
Find current publications relevant to Connecticut practice in the juvenile, family, probate, civil and criminal courts

Superior Court (for Juvenile Matters)

Probate Court

Case Law

  •  Official Reporters (all in L3 Reading Room)
    • Connecticut Reports - KFC 3645 .A2 - decisions of the CT Supreme Court
    • Connecticut Appellate Reports - KFC 3648 .A2 - decisions of the CT Appellate Court
    • Connecticut Supplement - KFC 3648 .A3 - selected memoranda from Superior Court, Ct. of Common Pleas
    • Connecticut Law Journal - KFC 3636 .C66 - weekly loose-leaf providing "advance" access to above three publications
  • Unofficial Reporters
    • Westlaw | Lexis
    • Connecticut Law Tribune - electronic access via Factiva (2001 - 6 months ago) (Click on +Source, then search for title, then Add title by clicking on the triangle, then search for document); print: last two years - Reading Room - selected decisions in Superior Ct. and Ct. of Common Pleas
    • Atlantic Reporter (West) - KF 135.A7 A812 - L5 - All decisions in Conn. beginning v. 53, Conn.Supp. beginning v.19, Conn.App., and Conn.Cir.
    • Connecticut Superior Court Reports - KFC3651.6 .S87 (1986-) - LES - full text of cases summarized in Conn. Law Tribune
    • Connecticut Law Reporter - KFC3651 .C57 (1990 - Current) - L3 Reading Room - full text of selected decisions of CT Superior Court
    • Connecticut Opinions - KFC3655 .C66 (2001 - 2008) - L3 Reading Room

Administrative Agencies and Regulations

Administrative Decisions

Government Resources

Research Tips for locating Government Reports

Social Science Databases

 

*available on HeinOnline, Westlaw, Lexis and in print on UES