Committee on Justice for Children 2009 Assessment

Court Oberservation

 
1. Case File ID for this instrument (County/Judge's last name):
 
2. Coder?
 
3. Date of observation (e.g. 01/01/2007):
 
4. How are deprivation cases scheduled? (Check one)
Time-Certain     
Staggered Call    
Morning/Afternoon Call    
Other: 
 
5. Do you see parties waiting more than an hour before their cases are heard? (Check one)
Yes
No
 
6. How long did the hearing you observed last?
Less than 10 minutes    
10-30 minutes    
31 minutes - 1 hour    
More than 1 hour    
 
7. Type of hearing: (Check all that apply)
72-hour Hearing    
Adjudication    
Disposition    
Motion to Extend Custody    
Review    
Case Plan Hearing    
Emancipation Petition    
Petition to Legitimate    
Termination of Parental Rights    
Permanency Hearing    
Other: 
 
8. Was the hearing contested? (Check one)
Yes
No
 
9. Issues discussed during the hearing: (Check all that apply)
Rights of Parents    
Service Status    
Present possibility of harm to the child    
Abuse/Neglect Determination    
Oral Findings of Fact    
Case Plan    
Permanency Plan    
Non-Reunification    
Concurrent Planning    
Legitimization    
Termination of Parental Rights    
Immigration    
Adoption Planning    
Services provided/Needed for Child    
Services provided/Needed for Parent    
Child's Delinquency Issues/Charges    
Family History/Background    
Placement Issues    
Custody Issues    
Child Support    
Visitation    
Reasonable Efforts    
Home Evaluation    
Relative Search    
Other: 
 
10. Was the hearing you oberserved continued? (Check one)
Yes
No
 
11. If there was a continuance, did the court set the date for the next hearing?
Yes    
No    
N/A - Case not continued    
 
12. If the hearing was continued, what was the reason? (Check all that apply)
Parties are unavailable    
Counsel unavailable    
Witnesses unavailable    
One or more parties requested or was assigned counsel    
Calendar conflict    
Allow more time to gather information    
Allow more time to reach a settlement    
Time for publication/service to parents    
Cannot tell/No reason stated    
N/A    
Other: 
 
13. Who was at the hearing you observed? (Check all that apply)
Child    
Child Attorney    
CASA or other Lay GAL    
Mother    
Attorney for Mother    
Father    
Attorney for Father    
SAAG    
DFCS    
Police Officer    
Service Provider (Pshychologist, Therapist, etc...)    
Foster or Adoptive Parent    
Relative(s) 
Other: 
 
14. Can you tell from the hearing that there is an identified father in the case?
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
15. Can you tell from the hearing if any of these parties waived their right to representation?
Child    
Mother    
Father    
N/A - all parties represented    
Could not tell    
Other: 
 
16. If a party was missing from the court proceeding, was there an explanation for a party's absence?
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
17. Did the court explain the hearing process to the participants? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A - No parent/child/party present    
 
18. Did the court introduce and give the titles of the people in the courtroom to all the participants? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A - No parent/child/party present    
 
19. Did any attorney call witnesses? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A - No witnesses necessary    
 
20. If yes, were the witnesses sworn in? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
21. Were any witnesses cross-examined? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
22. Did any attorney make an objection? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
23. Did any attorney make an oral motion or file a written motion?
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
24. Did the court explain the ruling to the parties present? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A - No parent/child/party present    
N/A - Case was continued    
 
25. Did the court schedule the next hearing for the case while in the courtroom? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
26. If yes, was written notice of that hearing given to parties while they were still in the courtroom? (Check one)
Yes    
No    
N/A    
 
27. Comments: