This panel will present and discuss the issues presented by parental child abduction during pending custody litigation or post-judgment. The presentation will focus on the protocols and procedures required to obtain court orders for the recovery and treatment of the child victim. The panel will discuss the role of the attorney in requesting the appropriate orders, the role of the judicial officer in issuing the appropriate orders, the role of the District Attorney’s Office Child Abduction Unit in enforcing the orders, and the role of the mental health professional in treating the child victim for any mental health issues presented.
Learning Objectives:
- The attendees will develop the ability to describe the roles of the Minor’s Counsel, the Court, and the Mental Health Professional in dealing with parental abduction from litigation, recovery, and treatment of the child.
- The attendees will learn to assess and identify the mental health issues resulting from parental child abduction and design a treatment plan for the child.
- The attendees will be able to create and design a plan of collaboration between the court, attorney, and mental health professional in support of the child and parent.