| Juvenile Litigation with Respect to Institutional Confinement Facilities |
| There are many juveniles that are confined to public and private institutions. Many of the institutions have deplorable conditions. Juveniles are often held in dingy cells or small, dark rooms and are confined for hours, days, or weeks. Often times juveniles are deprived of exercise, recreational activities and schooling. Sometimes juveniles are even supervised by untrained or inadequate staff as well.More... |
| Child Support Recovery Act |
| The Child Support Recovery Act of 1992 (CSRA), makes the willful failure to pay a past due support obligation with respect to a child residing in another state a federal misdemeanor offense. In order to establish willfulness, the United States Attorney's Office must prove that the noncustodial parent knew about the obligation, was financially able to meet it at the time it was due, and intentionally did not pay it. More... |
| Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act |
| In 1996, the Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was signed into law. PRWORA was enacted to increase efficiency in establishment, enforcement, and collection of child support obligations. The law requires all states to adopt the Uniform Interstate Support Act by January 1, 1998, eliminating the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (URESA) system.More... |
| Post-Adoption Contact with Biological Parents |
| Traditionally, once an adoption is final, the child's biological relatives are excluded from any continuing personal or legal role in the child's life. The adoptive parents have exclusive responsibility for the child, including the right to determine the extent of the child's contacts with individuals outside the immediate adoptive family. More... |
| Same-Sex Marriages |
| A same-sex marriage is defined as a marriage between two individuals of the same gender. The issue of same-sex marriages is a hotly debated topic. In the most recent election in the United States, more than ten states voted to amend their state constitution's and define a marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Most other nations do not recognize same-sex marriages as legally valid, nor do they allow them to occur. More... |


