Statutes | 4 HCC § 3 Chapter VI § 26 | 2020
a. Hearings in childrens cases shall be before the Court and may be conducted in an informal manner. However, all parties will conduct themselves in a manner reflecting respectfulness to the Court and other parties.
b. The general public shall be excluded and only such persons admitted as the Judge finds who has a direct relationship and legitimate interest in the case or the work of the Court.
c. The child or his/her parent(s) may be separately interviewed at any time at the discretion of the Court.
d. The hearing may be continued from time to time upon order of the Court.
e. Evidence.
(1) For the purpose of determining proper disposition of the case and for the purpose of establishing the fact of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, evidence to be considered by the Court shall include written reports and other materials relating to the child&rsquos mental, physical, and social history and condition. This is not a limit to the types of evidence that may be considered by the Court.
(2) The Court may require that the person who wrote the report or prepared the material appear as a witness.
(3) Parties requiring copies of documents already admitted into evidence must request such copies from the Court.
f. Child Witnesses. In an effort to protect the best interests of the child and to create an environment where testimony may be provided freely without fear, the Court shall permit a child to testify in closed chambers. The judge shall have the discretion to determine who may be permitted in the chambers