Courses

College of Law

Children and the Law

Course Number: 6645
Professor: TBA
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Spring
Required: No
Prerequisites: Students must have completed their first year of law school.
Recommended Courses: None

Course Overview: This course will cover a broad range of issues touching upon children, including but not limited to: dependency; termination of parental rights; adoption and child custody and support, parental rights and state authority and the juvenile justice system. We will also study the interrelationship of rights and responsibilities among the child, parents and government; the perceptions of children's competence as a basis for government regulation; and the role of the child's lawyer, paying particular attention to practical and ethical considerations in representing children. Children and the Law is a course for students who are considering a career in child advocacy as well as for those who have any interest in the subject of juvenile law. Also for anyone who is considering general practice, the bulk of cases filed in Wyoming are divorce or family law cases that usually involve children. Using an interactive, seminar format, we will explore federal, as well as state laws, cases and regulations pertaining to the children in the legal system.

Children's issues frequently arise in general law practice, including in child abuse and neglect cases, domestic relations, adoption and delinquency proceedings. Both nationally and in Wyoming, lawyers, judges and advocacy organizations are struggling with many concepts surrounding children in our legal system. A course on children and the law is very timely. In child abuse and neglect cases, the legal representation of parents, children, and child protection agencies is often seriously deficient.

Course Materials: See the current Book List located under Scheduling.
Course Format:
Written Assignments:
Type of Exam: 
Basis for Grading Student Performance: TBA
Other Comments: