http://www.pro-selaw.org/pro-selaw/index.asp

This website is designed as a resource center on self-representation in civil legal matters. Our purpose is to provide a collection of materials and resources that can be used to create legal service delivery systems that are based on the concept of "pro se" or "self" representation within federally funded legal services programs, courts, pro bono programs, and other community-based programs.
Pro Se means "on one's own behalf."  A 1991 American Bar Association study of self-represented litigants showed:

• Persons with incomes less than $50,000 are more likely to represent themselves.
• About 20% of self-represented litigants report they can afford an attorney but do not want one.
• Self-represented persons are more likely to be satisfied with the judicial process than those who are represented by attorneys.
• Almost 75% of those who represented themselves in court said they would do it again.

Self-representation, when combined with the power of modern information technology can be an important means of providing increased access to the legal system.
This resource center contains:

• A searchable Directory of Pro Se Programs operated by legal service providers;

• White papers and research on the research concept;

• A Discussion space where organizations that want to design and operate pro se assistance programs can post questions and receive answers from other
  professionals who are engaged in operating pro se programs.

• American Bar Association's Lawlink
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• Davidson County District Attorney's Office - website provides enhanced information about the office to victims, witnesses, members of the community, and the media.
• Federal Register
• FindLaw , A Comprehensive Legal Site Search Engine
• Institute for Court Managment (National Center for State Courts)
• Institute for Law and Justice (ILJ)
• National Criminal Justice Resource Center
• JERITT Project - a national clearinghouse for information on continuing judicial branch education
• Judicial Family Institute
• "Kids and the Law" from California Bar Association
• Law and Politics Internet Guide - (Legal resources)
• Lipscomb University Institute for Conflict Management
• Nashville Bar Association Appellate Practice Manual
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• National Center for State Courts - A comprehensive listing of State, International and Federal Courts
• SEARCH -National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics
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  (Complete Listings of County Officials)
  
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• Tennessee Association for Child Care
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OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Plaintiffs in a landmark lawsuit against the state's foster-care system are dragging the government back to court, complaining that officials haven't followed through with promised reforms.

In documents filed Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court, lawyers representing Washington foster children are asked a judge to enforce parts of their 2004 settlement with the state within two months, and impose a fine within 90 days.

Plaintiff's lawyers said the state was far from meeting its requirements in four specific areas: safety, caseloads, sibling contact and mental health. Casey Trupin, a lawyer for Columbia Legal Services, said the state has "continued to put children in foster care at risk."

"We shouldn't have ever gotten to this point, but the lack of urgency and insufficient commitment by the state to keep the promises it made to Washington's children has made today's action necessary," Trupin said in a statement.

State officials and lawmakers, however, defended the government's efforts to overhaul foster care. While not disputing that the state Department of Social and Health Services has missed some requirements, officials said Washington is still making progress toward the settlement's ultimate goals.

"We've been making steady progress, and this just has the potential to take us away from the work that we're doing and the important work of keeping kids safe," said Cheryl Stephani, head of the state Children's Administration.

The court action is the latest twist in the lawsuit known as the Braam case, in which 13 foster children sued the state for bouncing them around foster homes without adequate services.

The state settled the suit in 2004 by promising to make dozens of specific improvements, including more state caseworkers, better foster parent training and increased mental health treatment for kids.

Thursday's court filing was not a surprise. Lawyers for the foster kids announced last fall that they had decided to drag the state back into court, and the move was foreshadowed by months of complaints that the state wasn't spending enough to overhaul the foster care system.

Officials also said the court action could help the state set priorities for achieving the huge set of reforms.

"All of the above are happening. It's just not as quickly as the plaintiffs would like," said Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, chairwoman of the House children's services panel.

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On the Net:

Braam plaintiffs: http://www.braamkids.org

Legislature: http://www.leg.wa.gov

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Imagine being told you owe $50,000 in child support for children that aren't yours.

That's what's happening to a Arrestor man.  

The Tennessee Department of Human Services has thousands of names of parents that owe child support.  One of those names is Dennis Joe Brannon.

No one knows where he lives, but the state does know where Dennis K. Brannon lives. 

They apparently want him pay for the other guy's children.

"I've been married happily over 21 years and it's just not possible that I've got kids in another county," said Dennis K. Brannon of Murfreesboro.

Brannon has letters from the state demanding he pay child support.

"It's in the sum of $50,000," he said as he looked at the latest letter.

The letter came from the Attorney General's office in Huntsville, Tenn., which is northeast of Knoxville.  

The state is looking for Dennis Joe Brannon, but Dennis K. Brannon is receiving the threatening letters.

Initially, Brannon and his wife thought the mix-up was funny.

"We kind of made a running joke about this, but then it gets aggravating after awhile," he said. "After two or three years, it's time to get it straightened out."

He claims he's called several times.

"Well I'm sure if he's been in contact with our office, we would do whatever we needed to do to rectify the situation and make sure we have the right person," said Lori Jones, Assistant District Attorney of Child Support Division.

That isn't the case, Brannon said.

"They told me I'd have to come up there and do a DNA test and prove I'm not the father of these children," he said.

Why doesn't he just give the state his Social Security number and clear up the entire matter?

"I did give them the last 4 digits of my Social Security number and they asked several times for my whole Social Security number," he said.  "But for obvious reasons, I'm not going to give it. It'd be easy for them to change those numbers and say there, we got him."

To make matters worse, he has three children ages 21, 17 and 14 and the Dennis Brannon sought by the state for child support has two children ages 16 and 14.

Several similarities have made for a child support mix-up a Murfreesboro family now wants resolved. 

A DHS spokesperson said the state is investigating and if a problem has been made, it will be resolved.  

The state is also concerned that the two children involved in this case apparently are not receiving the support they're owed.  DHS said the children's welfare is their No. 1 concern.

NewsChannel 5.com Nashville, Tennessee - Man Involved In ID Mix-Up Over Child Support

All agencies by law must make their rules and regulations public. Some do it online or you can go into the offices and read them. Usually you can find them by going to your States homepage and type in the name of the agency and read their policies. Once you do this, you then should make a list of every policy they violated and send a copy to the CPS worker, supervisor, your lawyer, the guardian ad litem, and file it with the clerks office. No matter what is said in court, NOTHING matters except what is in the court file. I have learned that if something is in the file, even if it is not true, the court assumes it to be true because it is not disputed. The Judge has to be able to make a decision just by reading the file, so it is very important you get your side in that file. You just type up a statement of facts, what happened in your case, it doesnt matter if you dont know the law, just get your story in the record. Most importantly, know that you can appeal to the Circuit Court, which is the best thing to do in my opinion, because that is a State court and the are much more likely to follow the law and the rules. Something Juvenile Court has proven to me not to do. I have also learned, you can not be afraid to stand up for yourself. If CPS is involved they have already made their decision and you must fight and let them know you arent going to make it easy to steal your children. This is the policy guide for TN Department of Human Services. http://state.tn.us/sos/rules/0250/0250.htm

Truth Commission Findings and Solutions

Fourth Battered Mothers Custody Conference (BMCC IV)

January 13, 2007 Albany, New York

Testimony to the Truth Commission

Truth Commission Members:

Richard Ducote, Esq, Chair; Nancy Erickson, Esq.;Barry Goldstein, Esq.; Eileen King;

Patti Jo Newell; Connie Valentine, M.S.; Gwen Wright; and Joan Zorza, Esq.

Special Thanks to Mo Hannah, Ph.D., Truth Commission Coordinator

Sixteen women testified before the Truth Commission at the Fourth Battered Mothers Custody Conference about their family law cases, which covered eleven states.

The common theme that emerged from the testimony is that there is a widespread problem of abusive parents being granted custody of children and protective parents having their custody limited or denied, and/or being otherwise punished.

There is a crisis in the custody court system, which has resulted in thousands of children being sent to live with abusers while safe, protective parents, primarily mothers, are denied any meaningful relationship with their children.  The court system has failed to respond appropriately to domestic violence and child abuse cases involving custody.  The Commission found many common errors made by the courts and the professionals they rely upon which contribute to these tragedies.  These same mistakes have negatively impacted battered women and children in other cases, with less extreme results.

From these and other case histories, and issues raised by concerned professionals throughout the country, the Commission made the following findings and proposals recommended for further study. Not all members of the Truth Commission agree with every proposed solution, but all members are in agreement that solutions need to be developed to address these findings.

for complete report click here  http://www.batteredmotherscustodyconference.org/index.htm 

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