Ten Tips for How Judges Can More Effectively Communicate with Children in Court

Courtrooms are not particularly comfortable places for most people. This is especially true for children. When children are involved in court proceedings, it is important that they understand the questions they are asked and that what they say is understood. Adults often do not understand children because children’s language and processing skills are different and are still in the early stages of development given their limited experience with language.¹ If a child is not understood, the truth-seeking process gets distorted, and the purpose of the judicial process is undercut.