NCJ Number
147060
Date Published
1993
Length
82 pages
Annotation
Family court judges in New Zealand were surveyed to determine their views on child custody and access disputes, specialist services available to family courts, spouse violence, and the appropriateness of family court procedures for Maori and Pacific Island clients.
Abstract
About half of the 18 judges participating in the survey spent between 70 and 80 percent of their time on family court administrative work. They made extensive use of specialist services in child custody and access cases (counseling, mediation conferences, and psychological reports). Most judges said they used different techniques in child custody and access cases when dealing with Maori and Pacific Island clients and where there was a known history of spouse violence. Few judges, however, frequently interviewed children who were the subjects of custody and access disputes. At least half of the judges wanted family court staff to be attached permanently to the family court or at least not rotated so often around the district court. They also wanted court files to be maintained more systematically and carefully. Judges generally wanted wardship applications to be placed under the family court's jurisdiction and recommended the establishment of a family appeal court, more counseling for children, and expanded use of culturally appropriate techniques and services. Half of the judges thought counselors should be permitted to make recommendations to the family court about further action to resolve custody and access conflicts. Judges disagreed, however, as to whether specialist report writers should be given access to affidavits in the family court's possession. Information on the survey methodology and the questionnaire are appended. 7 references