Children's Law and Juvenile Justice

In 2013, sweeping reforms were made to Georgia's juvenile justice system when the Juvenile Court Code of Georgia (the “Juvenile Code”) was amended.  The new Juvenile Code reformed terminology, court processes, standards for the dual role of legal counsel as attorney and guardian ad litem, time limitations for children in foster care, and created a holistic approach to child welfare and juvenile justice.  

The purpose of this subject guide is to aid researchers in learning about and accessing legal resources that cover the specific areas of law affecting the protection, rights, and governance of children.  This guide will focus on legal and community resources for dependency (formerly referred to as deprivation), Children in Need of Services (CHINS; formerly status offenses), and delinquency cases.  More information on Georgia’s new legal terminology for court-involved children is available in relevant sections of this guide.

While this guide primarily targets scholarly researchers, a broader audience may benefit from the Community Resources sections found under the Dependency and CHINS & Delinquency tabs of this guide.  

The Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University serves Georgia’s children through its multi-disciplinary, holistic legal approach to child welfare and juvenile justice.  The Barton Center provides legal advocacy and representation to Georgia’s youth through its research, participation in the legislative process, systemic policy reform, education, and client representation through its clinics.

The Barton Center offers three clinics allowing law students to work on legal, policy and advocacy issues affecting Georgia’s children, including deprivation and delinquency cases.  The clinics are

• The Barton Public Policy Clinic
• The Barton Legislative Clinic
• The Barton Juvenile Defender

The Barton Center also co-sponsors the Georgia Child Welfare Legal Academy, which offers monthly workshops and seminars at Emory Law School.  The Barton Center, in collaboration with the Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children, coordinates child welfare experts to address current awareness, practice, and policy issues. 

Originally published by Richelle Reid in 2018.