A Refresher on Court Reports

In-Service TrainingChris BrownJoe KernanSarah Noviks

Summit County Juvenile Courthouse

CASA/GAL Program of Summit County

650 Dan St. Akron OH 44310

33-643-2928

Tips to Remember

Please submit reports 7 days prior to your court hearing to your Volunteer Coordinator

– We must file 7 days before a hearing (originally 3)

With a Permanent Custody report, it must be filed 7 days prior as well

Tips to Remember

This is a court document– NO slang– NO foul language– Do not abbreviate– NO “I” (This CASA/GAL)– NO initials anywhere– NO opinions…just the

facts!– DO use Arial or Times

New Roman font

Tips to Remember

Start your report right after your last hearing and add to it as you go. – Only include information from one

hearing to the next– Put a reminder on your calendar every

few weeks to update your report

Heading

To save yourself time:– Since the information is the

same, copy and paste from your last report into the new document

– Be sure to change the date, time, and hearing type

Case Contacts

Use Mr. Ms. Mrs., this is a court document

Do NOT use foster parents’ names

Do NOT use the child(ren)’s school names

Tab the contacts so they line up Foster parents/kinship providers

can be listed here, visits remain in the visit section

Attempted Contacts Unsuccessful

This section is for unsuccessful contacts If you call someone and leave a message,

and they call you back within a day or two it is not considered unsuccessful

If you call someone and they never call you back…..

If you go to a scheduled visit and no one is present…..

Reading of Records

Use SCCS instead of CSB Counseling Drug screen results Online criminal checks Medical Education

Visits

In the child’s placement, parent’s home, or SCCS If visit is at foster parent’s home, include foster parent

under the visit If visit is at kinship placement, include kinship

provider If visit is at parent’s home or SCCS, include

individuals present who are a party to the case (parents, kinship provider)

Case History

Only use the ORIGINAL complaint Do NOT use ongoing history of what has

happened on the case Use past tense

Summary of Activities

Summarize in a few paragraphs about each child

– Do not list what you saw/what happened on each visit (on the 3/15/12 visit the CASA saw….)

– Limit physical characteristics of children

Only list parties to the case– Children, parents, temporary or

legal custodians Always list children first! This is

our focus

Summary of Activities: Children

In the children’s section make sure to cover:

– Placement– Adjustment to placement– Services– School– Medical/development– Visits with

parents/siblings

Summary of Activities: Parents

In the parents’ section be sure to include:– Case plan goals (also can copy and paste from

previous reports)– Case plan compliance– List the fathers EVEN if they are not participating

in case plan goals

*NEW* Wishes of Each Child

Similar to the summary of activities, there is a heading, and each child is listed with DOB and age

Include 1-2 sentences per child in regards to their wishes

– For example: “Chris consistently expresses that he does not want to be in the custody of SCCS because he feels as if he is unable to lead a normal life. He wants to be at home with his father”

– If the child is too young to express a wish: “Chris is an infant; therefore, he is too young to express his wishes.”

Assessments

Try to write recommendations first, then come back to assessments to explain WHY you want to make those recommendations

There should be a short summary about all the children and all parents

Recommendations

ON A SEPARATE PAGE! Use bullet points Only use a sentence or two per bullet

Custody Placement Any motions Visitation Services for children Services for parents

QUESTIONS???