Is there any clarification on what witnessing financial abuse would look like by a minor?
Clay Harris
on June 25, 2025 at 12:57 pm
My assumption is that’s not the focus of this specific law being introduced or passed.
However to provide some feedback and generally speaking, if one can articulate how a minor witnessing “financial abuse” (or financial abuse between adults/guardians) leads to the child’s abuse or neglect, then I would think a referral would likely be appropriate. I would defer to the code below for guidance.
Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403(i) (1) requires all persons to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. “Any person who has knowledge of or is called upon to render aid to any child who is suffering from or has sustained any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition, shall report such harm immediately if the harm is of such a nature as to reasonably indicated that it has been caused by brutality abuse, or neglect or that, on basis of available information, reasonably appears to have been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect.”
*This information is provided for informative and educational purposes only. While the information is about legal issues, it is not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for the particularized advice of your own counsel or interpretation of the law.
Is there any clarification on what witnessing financial abuse would look like by a minor?
My assumption is that’s not the focus of this specific law being introduced or passed.
However to provide some feedback and generally speaking, if one can articulate how a minor witnessing “financial abuse” (or financial abuse between adults/guardians) leads to the child’s abuse or neglect, then I would think a referral would likely be appropriate. I would defer to the code below for guidance.
Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403(i) (1) requires all persons to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. “Any person who has knowledge of or is called upon to render aid to any child who is suffering from or has sustained any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition, shall report such harm immediately if the harm is of such a nature as to reasonably indicated that it has been caused by brutality abuse, or neglect or that, on basis of available information, reasonably appears to have been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect.”
https://carat.app.tn.gov/carat/referral/emergency.html
*This information is provided for informative and educational purposes only. While the information is about legal issues, it is not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for the particularized advice of your own counsel or interpretation of the law.