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

• Connecticut Practice Book - also in print: KFC4129 .A196 - L3 Reading Room
• Connecticut Rules of Professional Conduct (begins on p.9 of the CT Practice Book, Part 1)
• Department of Children & Families (DCF) Policy Manual
• Connecticut Standards of Practice for Attorneys and Guardians ad Litem Representing Children in Child Protection Cases

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

• Connecticut Law and Legislation
• Guardianship in Connecticut
• Best Interest of the Child Standard
• Representing Minors in Connecticut
• Other Research Guides
• Find it Free and Fast on the Net:  Advanced Internet Strategies for the Connecticut Legal Professional - Julie D. Blake - KFC 3675.5 .F56 2005 - L3 Reading Room
• The Connecticut Legal Research Handbook - Lawrence G. Cheeseman, Arlene C. Bielefield - KFC 3675 .C44 1992 - UES, L3 Reference Desk. Great list and explanation of the (print) sources of Connecticut law, including researching legislative history and Connecticut regulations, as well as case law and administrative decisions.

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

•  CGA Senate Bills and Senate Transcripts
• CGA House Bills and House Transcripts
• Bill Status Telephone Number - (860) 757-6550 - to receive the most current bill status information
• Lexis - use the CITE segment to search by bill number or search full-text
• Westlaw - use the CI field to search by bill number or search full-text

Public Acts

•  Current Connecticut Public & Special Acts
  From the Connecticut State Library
• CGA
  Find the Current-year Public Acts Summary book

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

• Connecticut Practice Book - also in print:KFC4129 .A196 - L3 Reading Room
• Connecticut Code of Evidence (pdf)

Superior Court (for Juvenile Matters)

• Directory
• Standing Orders - Child Protective Docket
• Official Court Forms - Includes forms for Family, Juvenile, and Probate courts
• Juveniles Matter in Connecticut
  CourtCafe - Connecticut's one-stop place for information about the Superior Court Judicial District with particular emphasis on Juvenile Court Matters and child protection, child welfare and related topics; also contains news and pending legislation
  
• Mediation of Child Protective Proceedings
  CASAnet, 1999

Probate Court

• Probate Court FAQ - from the Connecticut Judicial Branch Library
• Connecticut Probate Directory
• Civil / Family Case Lookup
• Short Calendars

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

• Department of Children and Families (DCF)
  DCF Policy Manual - includes the following chapters:
  • Ch. 22 - Administrative Hearings
  • Ch. 24 - Administrative Case Reviews
  • Ch. 34 - Child Protective Investigations
  • Ch. 36 - Treatment Overview
  • Ch. 37 - Voluntary Services - includes Probate Court review
  • Ch. 41 - Foster and Adoption Services - includes Subsidized Guardianship
  • Ch. 46 - Superior Court for Juvenile Matters - includes Probate Court

• Commission on Child Protection - Connecticut Standards of Practice for Attorneys and Guardians ad Litem Representing Children in Child Protection Cases
  
• Official Gazette (similar to Federal Register)
  Connecticut Law Journal - published weekly, includes final regs and notices of intent to adopt regulations - KFC3636 .C66 - LES (most recent issue in Reading Room)
  
• Official Regulations (similar to CFR)
  Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (Administrative Regulations) - 18 looseleaf volumes, updated semi-annually - KFC3635 1962 .A23 - L3 Reading Room
  
• Connecticut Administrative Code (not available freely on the web)
  Westlaw | Lexis

Administrative Decisions

• Connecticut Administrative Agency Decisions - Lexis
• Connecticut Digest of Administrative Reports to the Governor - available onbline only beginning in 2001; J87 C8 A3 (1946 - 2001) - LSF

Government Resources

• Department of Children and Families Reports and Data Index - includes reports on psychological evaluations, facilities, child fatalities in Connecticut and more
• Sourcebook for Criminal Justice Statistics - annual yearbook; includes juvenile stats - HV7245 .N37b (1973 - 2004) - UES
• National Center for State Courts (NCSC) - covers state trends in various areas of the law.
• NCSC Family Courts Resource Guide
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) - includes juvenile justice
• Department of Education Significant Guidance Documents, Best Practices and Research Reports.
  

Research Tips for locating Government Reports

• Search MORRIS by keyword - for law-related reports/studies
• Search ProQuest Congressional - for Congressional and CRS reports/studies
• Search WorldCat - for items that are not at the Yale Law Library or University Library
  

Social Science Databases

• Academic Search (EbscoHOST) - popular and scholarly material*
• JSTOR - multi-disciplinary journals*
• PsycINFO (EbscoHOST) - international coverage of professional and academic literature*
• PsychINFO (Ovid) - international coverage of professional and academic literature*
• Sociological Abstracts - indexes and abstracts articles, books, book chapters, etc.*
• Social Science Full Text - indexes and abstracts articles plus full text of selected periodicals*
• Social Sciences Citation Index - access to bibliographic information, author abstracts, and references from over 8,500 research journals
• Social Science Research Network - working papers and networking opportunities
• Statistics Research Guide
  
  * denotes subscription database with access to Yale community only

• Guide to Connecticut Legislative History
  A brief guide explaining how to locate legislative history documents at the Connecticut State Library
  
  
• Other Connecticut Legislative Histories
  From the Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Library - includes legislative histories for: Best Interest of the Child Standard 2005, Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act, How to Compile a Connecticut Legislative History, Postmajority Child Support (Dependent Disabled and Educational Support Orders and Post Secondary Education)
  
  
• How to Compile CT Legislative Histories

• Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Library's Connecticut Law about Emancipation - includes Research Guide, relevant statutes, a teenager's guide, and legislative reports
• Legal Assistance Resource Center's A Teenager's Guide to Emancipation
• United Way's Connecticut Emancipation Information
• State of Connecticut, Superior Court Petition for Emancipation (pdf)
• Effect of Emancipation of Child on Relationship, Duties, and Rights of Parties, 59 Am. Jur. 2d Parent and Child § 79 (available on Westlaw and Lexis or in print in the American Jurisprudence 2d volumes on L3)
• Minor Changes: Emancipating Minors in Modern Times, 25 U. Mich.J.L. Reform 239 (1992)*
• Emancipating our Children - Coming of Legal Age in America, 7 Fam. L.Q. 211 (1973)*
• Wood v. Wood, 135 Conn. 280, 63 A.2d 586 (1948)

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