Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Georgia Senate Bill 207: Increases Transparency Regarding Juvenile Proceedings

New transparency options for Juvenile Hearings in the State of Georgia to take effect January 1, 2010. w/ Thanks to One Out Of Many, a Georgia Not-for-Profit organization.

http://oneoutofmany.org/Documents/Press%20for%20the%20signing%20of%20SB%20207.doc

"Effective January 1st 2010 the public will be allowed to view juvenile hearings in the State of Georgia per Senate Bill 207 passed in April of 2009. This new law of transparency comes on the wake of thousands of closed juvenile hearings which resulted in rulings based on false accusations made by some DFCS case workers which cost the lives of children and the ruination of families. "

sb207 sb207 To amend Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to juvenile proceedings, so as to admit the general public to certain proceedings in juvenile court with certain exceptions; to define certain terms; to authorize a juvenile court to close a hearing under certain circumstances; to require a written order to close certain hearings; to provide that the judge may order the media not to publicize the identifying information of any child involved in open juvenile court proceedings; to provide that certain records may be sealed; to provide for sharing of confidential information; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
....