| 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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| Same-Sex Marriages, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships |
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| Although many people interchange the terms same-sex marriage and civil union, they are actually two different and distinct concepts. A same-sex marriage is defined as a marriage between two individuals of the same gender. A same-sex marriage involves a certain legal status for the couple. Further, each state has its own requirements with respect to marriage. More... |
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| Child Welfare Agencies Potential Malpractice Liability for Inadequately Protecting a Child |
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| States have enacted laws requiring the filing of reports of suspected child abuse and neglect, and most states have specialized child protective agencies to investigate these reports. The organization of the agencies varies greatly from state to state. Child protective agencies should essentially perform the same functions.
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| The Foster Care System |
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| In most jurisdictions both state and local executive branch entities control the child welfare system. Adjunct to these state actors are numerous private social services agencies that provide services to foster children and their families. In addition, state courts monitor each child in the foster care system.
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| Adoption by a Same-Sex Couple |
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| Any couple that choses to adopt a child must go through a rigorous background check. Often times, it may take many months or years for an adoption to be successfully completed. Although some states permit single individuals to adopt children, most states do not permit the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple.
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