Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Law Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 31 - 35 of 35

Full-Text Articles in Law

Family Law Armageddon: The Story Of Morgan V. Foretich, Leslie J. Harris Jan 2007

Family Law Armageddon: The Story Of Morgan V. Foretich, Leslie J. Harris

Leslie J. Harris

This book chapter tells the story of the contempt case brought against Elizabeth Morgan, a Washington, D.C., doctor imprisoned for her failure to produce her daughter for extended visitation with the ex-husband she accused of sexual abuse. The chapter sets the stage for the proceeding in terms of the shift in custody law in the mid-eighties from the maternal presumption to a preference for shared parenting and the discovery of and almost immediate backlash against allegations of childhood sexual abuse. It also details Morgan's parents' flight with the child to New Zealand and provides an update of what has happened …


9. The Problem Of Child Sexual Abuse: Response., Jennifer J. Freyd, Frank W. Putnam, Thomas D. Lyon, Kathryn A. Becker-Blease, Ross E. Cheit, Nancy B. Siegel, Kathy Pezdek Nov 2005

9. The Problem Of Child Sexual Abuse: Response., Jennifer J. Freyd, Frank W. Putnam, Thomas D. Lyon, Kathryn A. Becker-Blease, Ross E. Cheit, Nancy B. Siegel, Kathy Pezdek

Thomas D. Lyon

THE POLICY FORUM “THE SCIENCE OF CHILD sexual abuse” by J. J. Freyd et al. (22 Apr., p. 501) provides an extremely important call to action to the scientific community.  In 1999, James Mercy, Senior Scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noted the importance of viewing child sexual abuse with “new eyes” (1).  The implementation of Freyd et al.’s policy recommendations would help us to do this.  For too long, the fact that the topic makes us uneasy has caused too many of us to avert our eyes. But what if child sexual abuse were a …


8. The Science Of Child Sexual Abuse., Jennifer J. Freyd, Frank W. Putnam, Thomas D. Lyon, Kathryn A. Becker-Blease, Ross E. Cheit, Nancy B. Siegel, Kathy Pezdek Oct 2005

8. The Science Of Child Sexual Abuse., Jennifer J. Freyd, Frank W. Putnam, Thomas D. Lyon, Kathryn A. Becker-Blease, Ross E. Cheit, Nancy B. Siegel, Kathy Pezdek

Thomas D. Lyon

Child sexual abuse (CSA) involving sexual contact between an adult (usually male) and a child has been reported by 20% of women and 5 to 10% of men worldwide (1–3). Surveys likely underestimate prevalence because of underreporting and memory failure (4–6). Although official reports have declined somewhat in the United States over the past decade (7), close to 90% of sexual abuse cases are never reported to the authorities (8).


8. Speaking With Children: Advice From Investigative Interviewers., Thomas D. Lyon Dec 2004

8. Speaking With Children: Advice From Investigative Interviewers., Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

Imagine that you are treating a child suffering from the effects of neglect. You do not suspect sexual abuse, and do not directly question the child about abuse, but she makes what sounds like anabuse disclosure. Or, you hear from another source (a sibling, for example, or a caretaker) that thechild has made statements hinting that she was abused. What should you do? If you decide to question the child, you may inadvertently suggest information. Even if you are careful to avoid
leading questions, you may later be attacked for contaminating the child=s story, given the inherent polarization …


3. The Relevance Ratio: Evaluating The Probative Value Of Expert Testimony In Child Sexual Abuse Cases., Thomas D. Lyon, Jonathan J. Koehler Aug 1996

3. The Relevance Ratio: Evaluating The Probative Value Of Expert Testimony In Child Sexual Abuse Cases., Thomas D. Lyon, Jonathan J. Koehler

Thomas D. Lyon

It is hard to overstate the importance of expert testimony in American courtrooms. Much of this testimony concerns scientific matters that are beyond the ken of ordinary experience.  In cases where scientific matters play a central role, jurors may give substantial weight to expert testimony or even treat it as dispositive.  Standards pertaining to the admissibility of scientific testimony are critical to the outcome in many trials.