CHILDREN AND THE LAW
...Dependency Petitions
......Dispositional Hearing
.........Admissibility of Social Study
6 Cards On This Topic:
  • Parent can’t be deprived of right to cross examine social workers who wrote social studies supporting jurisdiction; due process not regained in absentia by representation.
  • Foster/de facto parents could not object to admission of social services report at hearing where their counsel waived his appearance and not allowed to withdraw waiver.
  • Once jurisdiction over minor established, admissibility of social study no longer conditioned on availability of author for cross-examination.
  • Admission of social study at dispositional hearing without presence of author does not deny right of confrontation; author may be subpoenaed.
  • Juvenile court must admit and consider hearsay contained in social report in deciding disposition.
  • Admissibility of social study report in jurisdictional hearings.