Center Court
- Vol. 6, No. 2 - Spring 2003
Kentucky Says “Yes” to
Family Courts
 In
November, Kentucky voters overwhelmingly supported an amendment to the
state’s constitution to initiate family courts.
“Where court
involvement in family matters is necessary, courts should do more than
merely decide who wins and who loses,” said Kentucky’s Chief Justice
Joseph E. Lambert. “With dedicated judges, competent and well-trained
support staff, and helping professionals, family courts are making an
otherwise dreadful ordeal a survivable experience.”
The amendment’s
passage extends throughout the state successful strategies used by a handful of courts
in Kentucky’s family court pilot project.
"The court has no greater
responsibility than the one it holds in the lives of children
and families,” said Dawn Marie
Rubio, NCSC senior court management
consultant. “This constitutional amendment will certainly ensure more
expeditious court decisions, reduce controversy during the court process
and decrease the likelihood for post judgment conflict and court activity.
All of these factors will make the court process more family
focused and family friendly."
For
more information on family courts, the National Center for State Courts
recommends the following publications, both available online at www.ncsconline.org.
- "How
Are Courts Coordinating Family Cases?" by Carol R. Flango, Victor E. Flango, and H. Ted Rubin
- “Integrating
Criminal and Civil Matters in Family Courts: Performance Areas and
Recommendations” by Brenda Uekert
In April, NCSC’s
educational arm, the Institute for Court Management, will conduct a course
in Family and Juvenile Court Performance Standards in Denver,
Colorado. Call (800) 616-6206 or visit NCSC’s Web site at www.ncsconline.org
to register.
For
more information about technical assistance or contract consulting
services to help with family court planning or evaluation, call NCSC’s
Court Consulting Service at (800) 466-3063.
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