Creating a specialized domestic violence court can be daunting for any community. It requires careful planning, leadership, and the buy-in of partners. The Tulalip Tribes of Washington are tackling the issue of domestic violence head-on, spearheading an initiative to create a specialized court, one of the first in a tribal justice system. This outline of their planning process highlights the steps involved and serves as a useful guide for tribes seeking to strengthen their court’s response to domestic violence.
Having a strong judicial leader can make or break a specialized domestic violence court. A judge can marshal resources and rally community and stakeholder partners to achieve shared goals. So what happens to specialized domestic violence courts when that integral judge transitions to a new position or retires? Use this fact sheet to ensure your court has a plan in place for a smooth and successful transition.
For survivors of domestic violence, financial insecurity is often a huge problem. Without money to support themselves and their families, survivors can struggle to gain independence. In this New Thinking podcast, Michael Hayes from the Office of Child Support Enforcement and Krista Del Gallo from the Texas Council on Family Violence talk with Robert V. Wolf about strategies that states and the federal government are promoting to help survivors safely access child support.
DeKalb County Compliance Project, Georgia seeks to create a victim-centered response to family violence protective order cases and ensure that respondents comply with Georgia law by enrolling in and completing a family violence intervention class. The court provides ongoing judicial oversight and mandatory check-ins with compliance officers from the moment a protective order is entered until the respondent is released from the project with a history of compliance.
Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Courts, Illinois: Comprises a dedicated domestic violence criminal and civil court. The criminal court adjudicates all appearances of intimate-partner criminal cases, as well as associated orders of protection. The civil court is assigned all domestic violence-related dissolution of marriage (divorce) cases and intimate partner orders of protection. On-site victim advocacy, advanced clerical practices, open communication, and innovative practices have been key to the success of the court.
Ada County Domestic Violence Court, Idaho: A fast-track court disposing of cases in 58 days on average from arrest to sentencing based on the integrated domestic violence court model. A multi-agency team allows the court to implement several best practices, including: supervised probation; post-sentence judicial monitoring; evidence-based offender assessment and specialized treatment; and comprehensive case planning. Click here to listen to Judges James Cawthon and Carolyn Minder discuss the Ada County response to domestic violence.
Ada County Domestic Violence Court, Idaho: A fast-track court disposing of cases in 58 days on average from arrest to sentencing based on the integrated domestic violence court model. A multi-agency team allows the court to implement several best practices, including: supervised probation; post-sentence judicial monitoring; evidence-based offender assessment and specialized treatment; and comprehensive case planning. Click here to listen to Judges James Cawthon and Carolyn Minder discuss the Ada County response to domestic violence.
Stearns County Domestic Violence Court, Minnesota: Handles serious repeat offenders from the time of arrest through either commitment to prison or probation supervision. Offenders are monitored around-the-clock for compliance with conditions of release and probation. Victims receive holistic legal services from legal aid attorneys as well as community advocacy from the scene of the arrest and wrap-around services. Stearns County chose this specific group of offenders for crime reduction and increased victim safety and has a robust data-collection system to capture the savings in time, money
Brooklyn Integrated Domestic Violence Court, New York: Hears misdemeanor criminal domestic violence cases as well as related family law and divorce cases in a high-volume urban setting. Located directly adjacent to the Brooklyn Family Justice Center, the court is able to work closely with the Kings County District Attorney’s specialized domestic violence bureau and connect victims with 25 on-site government agencies and community-based organizations.
The Tucson City Domestic Violence Court is a high- volume criminal misdemeanor court. The Court specifically provides services and safety for Deaf victims of domestic violence through their partnership with Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse and the Community Outreach Program for the Deaf.
