nUSEweb.com

> Sydney Morning Herald
> June 19, 2008
> http://www.smh.com.au/news/unusual-tales/court-overturns-fathers-grounding-of-
> 12yearold/2008/06/19/1213770765707.html
>
> Court overturns father's grounding of 12-year-old
>
> A Canadian court has lifted a 12-year-old girl's grounding,
> overturning her father's punishment for disobeying his orders
> to stay off the internet, his lawyer said.
>
> The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after
> he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on
> websites he tried to block, and then posting "inappropriate"
> pictures of herself online using a friend's computer.
>
> The father's lawyer Kim Beaudoin said the disciplinary
> measures were for the girl's "own protection" and is
> appealing the ruling.
>
> "She's a child," Beaudoin said.
>
> "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their
> parents to set boundaries.
>
> "I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish
> parental authority, and to ensure that this case doesn't set
> a precedent," she said. Otherwise, said Beaudoin, "parents
> are going to be walking on egg shells from now on".
>
> "I think most children respect their parents and would never
> go so far as to take them to court, but it's clear that some
> would and we have to ask ourselves how far this will go."
>
> According to court documents, the girl's internet transgression
> was just the latest in a string of broken house rules. Even so,
> Justice Suzanne Tessier found her punishment too severe.

>
> Beaudoin noted the girl used a court-appointed lawyer in her
> parents' 10-year custody dispute to launch her landmark case
> against her dad.