Do I have to speak to the Court Clinician?
I’ve been taken to court by my caseworker and the court has ordered me to speak to a court clinician. I don’t want to as I think they are just going to be against me and I don’t trust them.
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
- Nobody can force you to talk to the Court Clinician if you do not want to.
- It is a good idea to talk to your lawyer about your concerns and explain why you do not want to talk to the Court Clinician well before the appointment.
- If you do not speak with the Court Clinician then they will not be able to get a full picture of all the issues and will not get any understanding about you and your side of the story. This means they will not be able to make any comments about the things you do well or make recommendations about the things that you can change to have your children returned to your care.
- Without this information it may be hard for a Magistrate to make the Orders that you want.