Custody Evaluations, Juvenile and Family Law and Persons with Mental Disabilities (3) (FAM 160)

Professors Kathryn LaFortune and Shelley Mitchell

This course will consider the full range of issues related to custody (including issues specifically related to children with special needs), adoption, marriage dissolution, foster care, domestic abuse and guardianships as they relate to persons with mental disabilities. Students will examine the special issues related to juvenile commitments to psychiatric institutions (and treatment of juveniles in such facilities); competency; as well as other issues related to the criminal trials of juveniles with mental disabilities. This course will furthermore focus on the role of problem-solving courts, and the application of international human rights principles to this area of the law.

This is a predominately on-line course, requiring students to participate in a weekly chat room, discussion board, and two, day-long weekend live seminars at New York Law School. The grade is based on chat room, discussion board and live seminar participation, a midterm paper, and a take-home final. For master’s degree and certificate students, Survey of Mental Disability Law is a pre-requisite or co-requisite. For JD students, family law is highly recommended as a pre-requisite or co-requisite.