NCJ Number
188901
Journal
Journal of the Center for Families, Children and the Courts Volume: 2 Dated: 2000 Pages: 99-106
Date Published
2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article discusses components of a "family-focused court," defined as a court hearing cases that involve children and families with a consumer orientation, and it also reviews five principles based on the "Trial Court Performance Standards," by which to assess a court's success.
Abstract
Family-focused courts view families not as cases to be disposed, but as consumers entitled to delay-free and competitively priced services. Family-focused courts provide access to services that heal and protect children and their family whenever possible, as they resolve cases in a timely and effective manner. Some of the approaches available to family-focused courts include the "one-family/one-judicial-officer" model of case assignment, innovative methods of case coordination, and effective coordination of both court-based and social services for families. In profiling various case coordination procedures, this article explains continuity in legal representation, the use of Court-Appointed Special Advocates, the use of courthouse facilitators, and the use of family group conferencing. A major section of the article addresses the evaluation of family-focused courts. It advises that courts must determine which procedures work best by establishing evaluation criteria. The five proposed criteria for evaluating court performance on family matters are the highest quality of professional court decision making; the collaboration of courts and social service agencies to tailor services to the strengths and needs of families; expedient and cost-effective dispute resolution; timely case resolution; and satisfaction of litigants. 1 table and 23 notes