child support

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Jurisdiction

The power of the court to make a decision. To make a decision, a court must have jurisdiction over both the people in the case and the issues being decided in the case. In family law cases, there are special laws controlling jurisdiction of child custody and child support. See the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, (AS 25.30.300 et seq.) and the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (AS 25.25.101) for more information.

Question: Jurisdiction? A statute, under which John is prosecuted, forbids and punishes anyone who knowingly and intentionally takes books from a public library within this jurisdiction. John admits taking the book, knowing it belongs to the public library. At his trial, John raises the following defenses. a. John claims that he was not aware that his act was prohibited by law and, therefore, contends that he should be acquitted. b. John also claims he consulted his attorney about his right to take the book and was advised by his attorney that it was all right. c. Further, John says he just could not help himself, that he saw the book and had to take it. A medical examination discloses that John is a kleptomaniac. d. Finally, John says that when he took the book, the librarian on duty nodded his head in an up-and-down motion.

Answer: None of these "defences will work" if by "taking" it you mean John was just not borrowing it...but meant to keep it. Ignorance of the law is no defence. Neither is a lawyer's bad advice. Maybe he can sue the lawyer in a civil case for damages for providing bad legal counsel, so long as he retained the lawyer and he got the advice before he took the book. Involuntary act is no defence either. It doesn't work for gambler's, alcoholics who drive drunk, sexual molesters (especially child molesters') etc, so it ain't gonna fly for kleptomaniacs. (see Winona Ryder) The last argument is iffy. Did John specifically ask the librarian if he could take the book and the librarian unequivocally nodded yes..then one might say that the library is estopped from bringing a complaint to the police against John, if they made the complaint. But it doesn't stop the police from bringing their own charge. It might be an interesting point that the librarian is a partner to the wrongful act by encouraging it and therefore could be prosecuted as well. I think John is going to lose this one.

 


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