What ‘Safety First’ for Children Should Mean

Abstract

By keeping safety as paramount and separate, courts will not weigh parental rights against child safety. Safety will be the sole consideration. A child should be entitled to no less safeguards than an adult at a domestic violence hearing. Indeed, it is up to the court to assure children this in its role as parens patriae. Violence to a child is an assault, battery, or some other criminal act. Such allegations should be referred to and investigated by a prosecutor. Indeed, there should be no action permitted by a family court where these allegations exist other than to enter a no contact order between the named perpetrator and the child until a criminal process is completed. Child safety must be addressed properly by the courts as required by the Constitution.(from Conclusion)