NCJ Number
112532
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: (Summer 1988) Pages: 19,53-54
Date Published
1988
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A 1988 study found that child sexual abuse (CSA) allegations arising in domestic relations court cases involving custody or visitation disputes frequently may also involve intervention by the juvenile court.
Abstract
Most judges surveyed felt that a single judge hearing both the CSA and dispute issues was preferable, a majority felt that cooperation between the two courts was not a major problem. However, about 30 percent of court administrators and 25 percent of judges felt that a divided jurisdiction sometimes hampered efficient case processing. At their worst, separate, unconsolidated systems subject families to confusing and contradictory orders. Child protective services (CPS) workers may be confused about the powers of the domestic relations court, or the domestic relations courts may be inadequately informed about pending juvenile actions. In addition, there is a potential for duplication of effort and resulting case delays, and families may be subjected to excessively lengthy and repetitive investigations. Courts have developed a number of strategies to streamline interventions in cases before both juvenile and domestic relations courts. Some have moved toward interagency agreements on the sharing of information, thus allowing CPS workers access to domestic relations records. Others have urged consolidation of cases before a single judge or in a single court. Communication between judges, specialized CSA teams, and guardians ad litem also may ensure smooth processing of such cases. 1 footnote.