by Barry Goldstein and Veronica York Just as custody courts developed responses for domestic violence at a time when no research was available, early proponents of shared parenting sought to experiment when there was no research about shared parenting. Initially, parents seeking shared parenting did so voluntarily, in situations where they were able to communicate and cooperate. There is now … [Read more...]
Dear Judge Responding to DV Custody Cases
by Barry Goldstein Dear Judge,The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges seeks to train other judges about important scientific research like ACE (adverse childhood experiences) and Saunders. We now have a specialized body of research and knowledge about domestic violence and child abuse that can help courts recognize true reports of abuse and craft responses that help protect … [Read more...]
‘Keira’s Law’ to Expand Judicial Education on Domestic Violence
(Ontario, CANADA) Two years after the death of her daughter, protective mother Jennifer Kagan-Viater discusses the preventable death of her daughter, 4-year-old Keira Kagan, and how this tragedy reflects on Ontario's family justice system. Keira's Law would make it mandatory for judges to be trained in domestic violence. "The rights of the abusive parent in this instance trumped Keira's … [Read more...]
Bill Seeks to Protect Children Against Abusive Parents in Family Court Proceedings
Kudos to our colleague Camille Cooper (RAINN) and protective Mom Annie Kenny for their testimony this week on this important judicial education bill, Maryland Senate Bill 675, that included CJE child homicide data. The State Bar Association and the Maryland judges are opposing the bill that mandates a substantial increase in judicial education on child abuse and domestic violence. We see this … [Read more...]