A pioneer in the creation of specialized domestic violence courts, the Center works to rethink and improve court responses to intimate partner violence.
Domestic violence can involve physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse and require litigants to participate in multiple cases in many courtrooms before many judges.
Reflecting this complexity, domestic violence courts can be civil, criminal, coordinated (involving enhanced communication between the civil and criminal courts), or integrated (one judge hears all cases, civil and criminal, involving the victim and family). The emphasis in all models is on ensuring informed judicial decision-making, consistent handling of protective orders, and individualized responses. Domestic violence courts feature a dedicated judge or judges, on-site victim advocacy, ongoing monitoring and judicial supervision, and a coordinated response to domestic violence emphasizing increased collaboration among criminal justice agencies and community-based social services.
A domestic violence court can describe a variety of models. This one-page fact sheet breaks down what a domestic violence court is at its most essential level. It also describes the role of domestic violence mentor courts.
Contact us to learn more about a domestic violence court. Request the domestic violence court planning toolkit for practical step-by-step instructions on how to plan, implement, or enhance a domestic violence court and/or dedicated domestic violence docket.
The Center for Justice Innovation helped develop the integrated court model. The video below explains how the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Manhattan, N.Y., promotes greater victim safety and makes it easier to connect litigants to services and monitor compliance with court orders.
