Click
here for a printable order form
Please fill out the form completely and fax it to MICPEL at 410.659.0647.
6.5 CLE Hours
This 6.5-hour video replay
training program meets the requirements of Rule 9-205.1 of the Maryland Rules
for
attorneys who wish to qualify for appointments in child custody and child access
cases, in accordance with Guideline 4
of the Maryland Guidelines for Practice for Court-Appointed Lawyers
Representing Children in Cases Involving
Child Custody or Child Access.
Thursday, March 20, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
MICPEL, The Maryland Bar Center
520 W. Fayette Street, Suite 300
Baltimore
Friday, April 4, 2008, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT
ROCKVILLE VENUE
The video will no longer be shown at the Montgomery County Circuit Court Law
Library.
Please note the new location:
Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center
Building I, Room 101
9640 Gudelsky Drive
Rockville
Friday, April 25, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Ecker Business Training Center
(A Division of Howard Community College)
The Gateway Building
6751 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Paul C. Berman, Ph.D.
Towson
Brenton G. Burry, Esq.
Executive Director
MICPEL
Jennifer K. Cassel, Esq.
Family Law Administrator
Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
Annapolis
Bridget M. Gazelle
Coordinator, Family Division
Circuit Court for Prince George’s County
Upper Marlboro
Connie Kratovil-Lavelle, Esq.
Deputy Director, Family Administration
Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts
Annapolis
Dorothy J. Lennig, Esq.
Director, Domestic Violence Legal Clinic
House of Ruth of Maryland
Baltimore
Anne D. Lopiano, Esq.
Olney
Ellyn Loy
House of Ruth of Maryland
Baltimore
Christopher W. Nicholson, Esq.
Kaufman, Ries & Elgin, PA
Towson
Pamela Cardullo Ortiz, Esq.
Executive Director, Family Administration
Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts
Annapolis
Mary R. Sanders, Esq.
Turnbull & Sanders, P.A.
Towson
Keith N. Schiszik, Esq.
Day & Schiszik,
Frederick
Rebecca Snyder, Ph.D.
Frederick
John Spiegel, Esq.
Rockville
Hon. Ann N. Sundt
Circuit Court for Montgomery County
Rockville
Donna E. Van Scoy, Esq.
Rockville
Barbara R. Trader, Esq.
Salisbury
Hon. Julia B. Weatherly
Circuit Court for Prince George’s County
Upper Marlboro
Family Law Section 1-202 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (2006 Replacement
Volume) provides that, in an action
in which custody, visitation rights, or the amount of support of a minor child
is contested, the court may appoint a
lawyer who shall serve as a child advocate attorney to represent the minor child
and who may not represent any party to
the action; or the court may appoint a lawyer who shall serve as a best interest
attorney to represent the minor child and
who may not represent any party to the action; and the court may impose against
either or both parents counsel fees. A
lawyer appointed under Family Law Section 1-202 shall exercise ordinary care and
diligence in the representation of a
minor child.
Rule 9-205.1 of the Maryland Rules, Volume 2 (June 2007 Supplement to the June
2007 Edition) – which became
effective on July 1, 2007 - applies to the appointment of a child’s counsel in
actions involving child custody or child
access. The rule lists the factors that the court should consider in determining
whether to appoint child’s counsel and the
provisions that should be contained in an order appointing child’s counsel.
The Committee Note to Rule 9-205.1 states that “A court should provide for
adequate and effective child’s counsel in all
cases in which an appointment is warranted, regardless of the economic status of
the parties. The court should make the
appointment as soon as practicable after it determines that the appointment is
warranted. A court should appoint only
lawyers who have agreed to serve in child custody and child access cases in the
assigned role and have been trained in
accordance with Guideline 4 of the Maryland Guidelines for Practice for
Court-Appointed Lawyers Representing
Children in Cases Involving Child Custody or Child Access. In making
appointments, the court should fairly and
equitably distribute cases among all qualified attorneys, taking into account
the attorney’s availability and caseload.
Before asking an attorney to provide representation pro bono publico to a child,
the court should consider the number of
other similar cases the attorney has recently accepted on a pro bono basis from
the court.”
This special video replay training is offered at a reduced fee by MICPEL, in
cooperation with the Administrative Office
of the Courts, Department of Family Administration, and the Section of Family
Law of the Maryland State Bar
Association.
Attendance at one of these three video replay training sessions will satisfy
Rule 9-205.1 of the Maryland Rules
which requires that court-appointed child advocate attorneys who represent
children in cases involving child
custody or child access must have been trained in accordance with Guideline 4 of
the Maryland Guidelines for
Practice for Court-Appointed Lawyers Representing Children in Cases Involving
Child Custody or Child
Access.
This video replay training is comprised of the original presentations that were
made at the AOC-sponsored child counsel
training held on January 8, 2008 at the Maryland Judicial Conference Center in
Annapolis.
AGENDA
Note: The April 4, 2008 video replay in Rockville starts
30 minutes later at 9:30 am. and ends at 5:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome & Introductions
9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
The Role of the Child’s Attorney Under the Guidelines - Roles &
Responsibilities; Best Interest Attorney Litigates Rather Than
Reports; Definition of Considered Judgment; Liability; Orders of Appointment
9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Child Development and Communication - Development, Needs & Abilities;
Cognitive Ability, Mental & Emotional
Development; Context for Healthy Development; What Happens When Needs Are Not
Met?; Implications for Parenting Plans;
Communications with the Child Client in Developmentally Appropriate Manner;
Interview Techniques
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Questions & Answers on Child Development Issues
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Impact of Family Dysfunction, Child Abuse, Neglect, Substance Abuse, and
Domestic Violence on Children & Implications for
Pediatric Legal Practice – Evaluating What is in a Child’s Best Interest;
Recognizing Abuse That is Not Physical; Coercive/Control
Issues; Impact of Witnessing Family Violence
12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Questions & Answers on Special Issues
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch (on your own)
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Calling in the Experts: Using Other Professionals to Enhance Your
Understanding of Your Client’s Needs & Your Client’s Case
– Forensic Custody & Mental Health Evaluators; Substance Abuse Evaluations;
Understanding & Addressing Educational Needs;
Identifying & Addressing Special Needs; Use of Other Experts; Identifying Best
Practices
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Tapping Local Resources – Available Court and Community-Based Resources
2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Representing Your Client Effectively – Representational Issues;
Evidentiary Concerns; Ethical Issues; Preparing and Presenting a
Child’s Viewpoint; Child Testimony and Alternatives to Direct Testimony; Your
Role with Self-Represented Litigants; Dealing
with High Conflict Families
3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Questions & Answers for Practitioners
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
A View From the Bench
4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Questions & Answers for the Judges
4:30 p.m.
Adjourn
Tuition: Registration Fee for All Attendees is $109.
Click
here for a printable order form
Please fill out the form completely and fax it to MICPEL at 410.659.0647.