Leiva-Mendoza v. Holder, United States Court Of Appeals For The 8th Circuit (April 2 2011) discusses how a child’s witnessing of serious domestic violence perpetrated against their parent is a basis for granting VAWA cancellation of removal to children who witness domestic violence perpetrated against their parent even in cases in which the children have not themselves been abused. This amicus brief provided the court with the relevant research data on harm to children of witnessing abuse in the home and argued that requiring proof of “actual harm” to the child is not required to prove “extreme cruelty.”