Preparing for the Challenges of Child Witnesses
Produced by the American Bar Association Section of Litigation and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education
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Faculty:
Marguerite C. Gualtieri
Dr. Sherrie Bourg Carter
Carmen M. Chávez
Antoinette Kavanaugh
Jennifer G. Long
Marie D. Osborne
Lawyers work with child witnesses in many different kinds of cases. Learning how to interview child witnesses from the beginning of the representation through testimony in court has taken on greater importance after Crawford v. Washington and Davis v. Washington. These cases have altered how the testimony of children is treated. As a result, more children across the country may be required to testify.
Experts on this audio program will cover child witness preparation in three stages. After studying the print material and listening to the program you will be able to:
- Outline the major issues that must be addressed at the beginning of the representation, before trial, and in court in order to prepare a child (both a young children and adolescents) to be a witness
- Identify the ways a lawyer can prepare a court or jury for issues unique to child witnesses
- Define competency and identify competency issues in child witnesses
- Compare the unique issues related to child witnesses in a variety of different substantive areas (e.g. immigration and criminal cases) as well as in different roles (child as victim, witness, or defendant)
- Recognize the importance of age-appropriate language and limits of language when examining a child witness in court
- Plan for the courtroom, including accommodations for child witnesses, opening statements, and the use of physical tools
Duration: 83 minutes
Credit Hours: 1.40 hour in a 60-minute state, 1.66 hours in a 50-minute state
Produced: March 18, 2004
MCLE credit is subject to each state's regulations. Some states do not approve online courses for MCLE credit or have specific rules regarding who may earn credit or the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned through online CLE. Please contact your state if you have any questions.
TO ACCESS THE WEBCAST
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