Do children have the right to refuse to testify against parents?

Question

I know husband/wife have a special relationship under the law, but do children have the same 'protection'?

Does anyone specifically know (if they do) where it would be mentioned (so I can look it up?)

And why did this get a negative rating? :(

Answer 1

No, they do not have the same protection.

An a parent could also be compelled to testify against their child.

Edit:
Although spouses cannot be compelled to testify against each other except in unusual cases, there is no similar protection for parents and children. Indeed, in a decision last year rejecting claims of a parent-child privilege, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals surveyed the law and said that eight federal appeals courts and every state supreme court that examined the matter had refused to carve out a parent-child privilege. When the Supreme Court in 1996 recognized a psychotherapist-patient privilege, it pointed to the fact that -- unlike the parent-child situation -- all 50 states had enacted some form of psychotherapist privilege. In contrast, only four states provide parent-child privilege.

In refusing to protect parents from having to testify against their children, the appeals court said such a guarantee of secrecy "is not essential to a successful parent-child relationship," because any harm flowing from such testimony would be "relatively insignificant." In addition, the court said, "the existence or nonexistence of a parent-child privilege is probably one of the least important considerations in any child's decision as to whether to reveal some indiscretion, legal or illegal, to a parent."

Still, the Justice Department's guidelines suggest close relatives -- parents, children, grandparents and grandchildren -- should ordinarily not be forced to testify against family members. The guidelines make an exception for situations in which the family member is involved in the criminal activity or there are other "overriding prosecutorial concerns."

-Washington Post Feb 13, 1998.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

A child probably cannot be forced to testify -- s/he is a minor after all. But there is no bar to him or her testifying voluntarily.

And indeed strong pressure -- through a guardian and/or social workers -- is likely to be placed on the child, especially in abuse cases.

And there are those lying professional witnesses like the notorious Dr Sir Roy Meadows -- now totally discredited, and the parents he had imprisoned are having their cases reviewed -- who make up theories and imagine abuse and murder where none exist.

Such evil only plays into the hands of paedophiles and abusers, making genuine cases that much harder to prove before a jury.

Answer 4

Yes, children can testify against parenst, look at sex abuse cases.

Answer 5

i don't think it's a negative question, it's a great question. people have the choice to do what they want there is always consequences to your actions positive or negative.

Answer 6

Yes they do

Answer 7

Not if they are witnesses, but the judge can request private testimony in his or her chambers.

Answer 8

Yes, I'm sure they can.

Answer 9

yeah

Answer 10

yes they do