| Guardian Ad Litem |
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| What is a guardian ad litem? A minor cannot be a party to a lawsuit without assistance. Therefore, when a minor is a party to a lawsuit, the court appoints a guardian ad litem to represent the minor.
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| Constitutional Rights of Children |
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| The concept of ''children's rights'' is relatively new. For most of history, children were considered chattel and had no rights separate and apart from their parents.
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| Incestuous Marriages |
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| An incestuous marriage is a marriage between close family members. The validity of an incestuous marriage depends on the law of the state where the parties intend to reside. In the state where the incestuous marriage is regarded as a crime, the incestuous marriage is not accepted for immigration purposes even if the marriage was legally contracted somewhere else. More... |
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| Requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act |
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| The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for the removal of Native American children from their homes. The ICWA applies to foster care placements, terminations of parental rights, and adoption and pre-adoption placements. When the ICWA applies to a proceeding, a state court must comply with the requirements of the act.
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| Child Citizenship Act of 2000 - Obtaining a Passport for a Child |
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| Some children who are born outside of the United States may automatically acquire U.S. citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. However, no proof of citizenship will be issued to the child's biological or adoptive parents unless such proof is requested. Parents may obtain proof of citizenship for their child by applying for a Certificate of Citizenship from the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In the alternative, the parents may apply for a passport for the child from the United States Department of State. More... |
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