Terms Used In Louisiana Children's Code 663

  • Abuse: means any one of the following acts that seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health, welfare, and safety of the child:

                (a) The infliction, attempted infliction, or, as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the infliction or attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or any other person. See Louisiana Children's Code 603

  • Child: means a person under eighteen years of age who, prior to juvenile proceedings, has not been judicially emancipated under Civil Code Article 366 or emancipated by marriage under Civil Code Article 367. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Neglect: means the refusal or unreasonable failure of a parent or caretaker to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, care, treatment, or counseling for any injury, illness, or condition of the child, as a result of which the child's physical, mental, or emotional health, welfare, and safety is substantially threatened or impaired. See Louisiana Children's Code 603

A.  Except as otherwise hereinafter provided, the adjudication hearing shall be conducted according to the rules of evidence applicable to civil proceedings.

B.  The court may consider as evidence any videotape which is prepared in compliance with Chapter 8 of Title III and which is relevant to the proceeding.

C.  Evidence of a prior criminal conviction shall be admissible in proceedings brought under this Title in order to prove allegations made under Article 606.  Such proof shall be by certified copy of the judgment of conviction or certified copy of the minute entry of conviction in accordance with the Louisiana Code of Evidence.

D.  Testimony or other evidence relevant to the abuse or neglect of a child or the cause of such condition may not be excluded on any ground of privilege, except in the case of confessions or communications between an attorney and his client or confidential communications between a priest, rabbi, duly ordained minister, or Christian Science practitioner and his confidential communicant.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1997, No. 612, §1.