Magistrate Huna: A #Magistrate Who Refused to Define a Child by His Mistakes

Serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (#CASA) and Guardian ad Litem is often a deeply emotional experience.

Each time I appear in court to represent a #child, I am reminded that many of our victories emerge from situations that should never have occurred in the first place.

Most of the #children we encounter are not troubled children. They are children from troubled homes.

Behind many of their struggles lie instability, broken relationships, poor decisions by adults, and environments that failed to provide the ##safety, structure, and support every child deserves.

That reality is often difficult to ignore.

While there are moments of joy, such as when parents diligently follow their case plans and children are safely reunited with their families, there are also heartbreaking moments when progress is undone by choices that place those reunifications at risk.

Yet, amid these realities, there are champions of children who remind us why this work matters.

Two days ago, while in court on another matter, I witnessed a magistrate addressing a child in conflict with the law.

What followed moved me deeply.

The magistrate drew a clear distinction between who the child was and what the child had done.

Again and again, the child was reminded:

“You are not what you have done.”

“You are a good child.”

“You have a future.”

“You have a destiny.”

In that moment, I watched a #judicial officer refuse to define a child by a mistake.

Instead, she chose to define the child by his humanity, his potential, and the promise of who he could become.

She understood that while behaviour must be addressed, a child’s identity must never be reduced to that behaviour.

That moment made my day.

It was a powerful reminder that justice at its best does not merely punish wrongdoing; it calls forth #possibility.

To that magistrate, wherever you are, thank you.

Thank you for seeing the child before the offence.

Thank you for speaking hope into a young life.

Thank you for reminding all of us that every child is more than his worst day.

Keep soaring and inspiring. Do have an INSPIRED rest of the week with the families.

Children Infobank