In response to the Office of Court Administration’s proposals regarding attorney and party access to forensic reports, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers adopted a resolution stating that "[t]he theoretical benefit that could be gleaned from showing a forensic report to a child is so clearly outweighed by the potential damages…that the Academy opposes any rule or practice that would permit the child to be shown the forensic report." The New York Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers stated that it is "strongly opposed to another proposal that would permit attorneys to share the contents of psychological test results with the children they represent." Similarly, the Nassau bar contests the dissemination of forensic reports to children (NYLJ, March 13).

The sweeping prohibition against exposing children to the unpleasant or damaging information contained in forensic reports ignores the reality that attorneys for children (AFC) have an ethical obligation and that in other family court proceedings youth are routinely exposed to such information. Prior to 2008, there was heated debate regarding the proper role of a child’s lawyer in neglect and abuse, permanency and termination of parental rights proceedings which was resolved with the promulgation of N.Y. CT. Rules §7.2 (McKinney 2011) and the adoption of the state bar standards.

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