Legal Issues

Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (ARC) is a non-profit organization, with international attorney affiliates, founded to secure equal protection for, and broaden judicial and public recognition of, children's inherent legal and human rights to physical integrity and self-determination, regardless of gender.

Boys deserve the same protections as girls. Explores the inequity of allowing genital cutting for males but disallowing it for females.

by William E. Brigman - Journal of Family Law, University of Louisville School of Law, 1984-85

Journal of Law and Medicine, Feb 2000 - Article argues that non-therapeutic circumcision of healthy boys is criminal assault, and that legal action is needed to protect boys from this kind of assault.

Queensland Law Reform Commission, Australia - 1993

Attorneys for the Rights of the Child press release Feb 2000

This page describes and indexes legal material relevant to the performance of male circumcision in chronological order of publication. Includes US State Medical Boards section plus information for the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.

by Lynn E. Lebit - Journal of Law and Health - Article stresses the need for courts to protect the rights of minors and other legally incompetent persons. Discusses parental proxy and the rights of minors which exist independent of the parents.

BJU International, 1999 - An in-depth review of circumcision related legal issues including: Bodily integrity and informed consent; United States case law ; United Kingdom law; International Law. The report concludes that "The medical community is violating the law through a combination of faulty medical opinion, negligence and inadequate consent".

by A. Chessler - Buffalo Law Review, 1997 - A major review covering: Types of both male and female circumcision, justifications for, and legal arguments against. The report recommends in part, "Both physicians and parents must begin to look at and discuss the real issue--the abuse of innocent children".

by David J. Llewellyn, Attorney at Law - Published in Winter 1995, issue of The Compleat Mother.

by Jacqueline Smith - 1998 - This 'Netherlands Institute of Human Rights' research report explores the Human Rights, Child Rights and Legal Aspects of male child circumcision, and compares male and female genital mutilation.

Journal Of Law And Medicine - 1996 - This article discusses the history and reasoning behind male circumcision; identifies overwhelming medical evidence against the performance of non-medical (ritual) circumcision; and argues that the medical profession may be ignoring modern medical law through a combination of medical opinion, negligence, and vitiated consent.

Contains sections on: - Rights: detailing options for legal recourse available to circumcised youth and their parents. - A Legal, Constitutional and Human Rights Library. - Attorney Referrals. - Articles and news stories regarding circumcision-related court cases and related legal precedents.

Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law, 1999 - Report argues that any parental rights should be subordinated to the child's right to bodily integrity; a court order should be required before the forcible circumcision of a child is allowed.