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Barton Child Law and Policy Center Newsletter |
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The 2012 Georgia General Assembly Session Begins
The General Assembly convened this morning, Monday, January 9, 2012. Highlights of this first week will include:
- The Governor's State of the State Address will be delivered to a joint session of the House and Senate on Tuesday evening, January 10th, at 7pm.
- The General Assembly will be in session all five days this week, and will adjourn next week for joint hearings on the budget.
Because we are in the second year of a biannual session, bills that were introduced but did not pass last year are available for the General Assembly's consideration this year. The most significant legislation from last year that we'll be following is the Child Protection and Public Safety Act, which is also known as the Children's Code Rewrite or by its bill numbers, HB 641 and SB 127.
We, too, have returned to the Gold Dome and will resume our weekly legislative updates and occasional action alerts while the General Assembly is in session. As in past years, the Barton Center will be tracking key legislation related to child welfare and juvenile justice as well as the budget. Additionally, we will be twittering information relevant to child advocacy at the Capitol. Follow us at @bartoncenter by clicking on the Twitter icon to the right. 
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Georgia Supreme Court Approves State Ethics Opinion Concerning Child Representation in Deprivation Cases
This morning, the Georgia Supreme Court approved a Formal Advisory Ethics Opinion prepared by the State Bar of Georgia. This opinion, number 10-2, clarifies the ethical duties of an attorney appointed as both the child's attorney and as guardian ad litem. Specifically, the opinion states that if a person is serving as both attorney and guardian ad litem for the child and a conflict arises between the attorney's considered opinion of the child's best interests and his or her duties to the child as client, the attorney must withdraw as guardian ad litem.
Pursuant to State Bar Rule 4-403, with the Supreme Court's approval, the opinion is now binding on all state bar members and state courts.
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Next Georgia Child Welfare Legal Academy to Be Held Monday, January 30, 2012
Reconnecting Families and the Cobb County Family Dependency Treatment Court
On Monday, January 30th, the Honorable Juanita Stedman and representatives from Cobb County CASA and DFCS will discuss Reconnecting Families and the Cobb County Family Dependency Treatment Court. Presenters will discuss findings from Cobb County's drug court program and provide suggestions and strategies for implementing programs in other counties. Please join us at Emory Law School in Room 5C from 1:30-3:45 pm. Online registration is strongly encouraged. Please visit www.regonline.com/drugct for more information. Attorneys will be offered two CLE credits.
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Quick Links...
Donate. Your contribution directly supports the work of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center to improve the lives of abused, neglected and court-involved children. In the "select fund" drop down box, please choose "Robin Nash Fellowship" to help us launch the careers of talented new child advocates or choose "other" and write "Barton Center operations" to support all other aspects of our work. Thank you for your generous support; our work would not be possible without community contributions. Join the Barton Center email list. The Barton Child Law and Policy Center sends weekly legislative updates when the Georgia General Assembly is in session. During the rest of the year we send periodic emails with information on upcoming educational opportunities, legislative and policy developments, research findings, and changes to law, policy and practice. Sign up here to receive important updates on children's law in Georgia.
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