Juvenile听 Law Clinic

Mission听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

The听 Juvenile Law Clinic (JLC) provides legal services for indigent children, youth,听 and families, in four metro counties. Children and families facing abuse,听 poverty, homelessness, and despair are among the neediest members of our听 community requiring quality legal representation. Student attorneys in the JLC听 meet that need.

Clients 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

JLC听 clients are predominantly children and youth in the child welfare system, or听 the juvenile justice system. Student attorneys also defend parents in child听 welfare cases, grandparents seeking adoptions, and school districts trying to听 intervene to save the educations of at-risk students.

Scope 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

JLC is a graded two-semester course (8 credit hours for the year); work may exceed听 credit received. The clinic is limited to 12 students. Class time focuses on the substantive law of child welfare, delinquency, and education law, as well听 as the collateral areas of mental health, immigration, poverty, disability, family law, alternative dispute resolution, and access to social justice for听 the indigent in America.

JLC differs from the Family Law Clinic in that students primarily represent minors听 and work in cases where the State has intervened in the private family sphere. The Family Law Clinic represents adults on issues like听 ending a marriage, getting child support, and arranging parenting time.

Students work directly with child and adult clients to provide听 representation in court proceedings of multiple-party litigation. Their representation includes extensive trial advocacy, client interviewing and counsel, drafting documents, researching legal issues, and mediation.

Type听of Legal Assistance 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

JLC primarily exposes students to legal issues facing families that are involved with state intervention.

Student听attorneys have:

  • Represented children in state court as the child鈥檚 guardian ad litem, or legal听 representative
  • Represented听 homeless/runaway youth and pregnant and parenting teens
  • Advocated听for youth clients in mental health institutions
  • Represented young people charged as juveniles, or as adults, as guardians ad litem in the听criminal justice system
  • Represented听parents and children in adoptions
  • Represented parties in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases, and Indian Child Welfare Act cases
  • Handled听 appeals
  • Represented听respondents in civil child welfare cases
  • Represented听petitioners in truancy cases
  • Drafted听amici briefs in state supreme court on cutting edge issues for children鈥檚 lawyers
  • Presented听at statewide legal conferences on engaging and empowering youth

Student Experiences

Henderson

鈥淚 am already making a difference in law school. Clinics give you a truly hands-on practical experience. Instead of having to wait until after you graduate, you get the experience of being the lead lawyer by meeting with clients and making arguments in court before a judge.鈥� - Xakema Henderson ('14)

Crane

鈥淢y favorite moment in clinic was when I won my first case and I got to send my kids home for the holidays. The parenting plan negotiations had been held up but I was pushing for more parenting time and it worked. It was a really amazing feeling to know I helped the kids avoid being in foster care longer and make it home for the holidays.鈥� - Holli Crane ('14)