The following questions were submitted by readers of the Advokid Quarterly newsletter. If you would like to submit a question for our next newsletter, please send your inquiry to rlmlaw@verizon.net.
Q: I heard that Judge Alice Beck Dubow has issued new procedures for her Courtroom, can you tell me what they are?
A: Judge Dubow issued a Standing Order concerning the minimum expectations for lawyers and parties appearing before her in Courtroom H.
Click here for a copy of the Order
Q: I understand that there have been recent changes in the protocol regarding contested termination of parental rights cases. Can you advise me of the changes?
A: On June 11, 2008, the Honorable Kevin Dougherty issued a notice to the dependency bar concerning a new Court Protocol for Contested Goal Change/Termination Hearings. When a contested goal change/termination hearing is scheduled, the presiding Judge will assign the parties both a contested trial date, as well as a case management conference date. At the case management conference, a Master will issue a case management order addressing the filing of the petition(s), exchange of discovery and witness lists and other pre-trial matters. Additionally, at the case management conference, a pre-trial conference will be scheduled. As a child advocate, we must attend both the case management and pre-trial conferences and submit a pre-trial conference memorandum (the substance of which is detailed in the Case Management Order). The pre-trial memorandum does not need to be filed with the court. Simply bring the original and copies to the pre-trial conference.
