Caring for Families in Court

Barbara A. Babb is an Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law, US. Judith D. Moran was an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, US.

Table of Contents



The Family Justice System—What it is, How it works, and an Ideal Unified Family Court Model

I Introduction……………………………………………………………………..

II What Is a Family Court?……………………………………………………….





The Historical Development…………………………………………
Current Family Court Structure………………………………………



III Who Is Using Family Courts?………………………………………………...

IV How Are Family Courts Performing?………………………………………..

V The Ideal: A Unified Family Court…………………………………………..





Separate Court Structure…………………………………………….
Comprehensive Subject-Matter Jurisdiction………………………...
Specialized Case Management and Judicial Assignment System…..
An Array of Services………………………………………………..
A User-Friendly Court………………………………………………



VI Conclusion……………………………………………………………………



The Unified Family Court’s Ecological and Therapeutic Capacities—A Crucial Interdisciplinary Paradigm
I Introduction……………………………………………………………………

II The Ecology of Human Development………………………………………..

III Therapeutic Jurisprudence …………………………………………………..

IV Putting the Pieces Together to Improve Family Justice…………………………………………………………………………….

V The Need for More Components ……………………………………………….

VI Conclusion………………………………………………………………………








Equipping the Family Justice System with the Ethic of Care
I Introduction …………………………………………………………………..

II Defining Care and the Ethic of Care…………………………………………

III Historical Background………………………………………………………

IV The Ethic of Care and the Law……………………………………………..

V The Ethic of Care versus the Ethic of Justice……………………………….

VI Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..


Family Narratives and Caring Justice

I Introduction…………………………………………………………………...

II Defining Narrative





Narrative Law……………………………………………………….
Narrative Practice……………………………………………………



III Narrative and the Law: An Historical Perspective……………………………

IV The Importance of Narrative…………………………………………………

V Narrative Attributes……………………………………………………………

VI How Narrative Works: Narrative Competence and Narrative Capacities





Narrative Competence………………………………………………..
Narrative Capacities







Empathy…………………………………………………………..
Decision Making………………………………………………….
Ethical Awareness…………………………………………………



V Conclusion……………………………………………………………………



Applying an Ethic of Care to the Family Justice System: The Transformative Power of Caring and Narrative
I Introduction……………………………………………………………………………

II Envisioning the Family Justice System as a Care Center……………………………..

III The Role of Narrative in Promoting Care……………………………………………

IV Is Caring Teachable?.................................................................................................

V Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….


Portraits of Caring

I Introduction……………………………………………………………………………

II Court Facilities and Aesthetics……………………………………………………….

III Specialty Court Programs





Courts Targeting Young Children…………………………………………..
Girls Court……………………………………………………………………
Minors’ Court, Reggio Calabria, Italy……………………………………….
Aboriginal Children’s Court Program, Australia…………………………..
A Floating Court on the Amazon, Brazil…………………………………….



IV Court-Supplied Services…………………………………………………………..





Court-Based Childcare Programs……………………………………………
Court-Based Family Services………………………………………………..
Translation Services………………………………………………………….



V Court-Community Connections………………………………………………………

VI Court Policies





Training for Judges and Court Personnel…………………………………….
Court Procedures……………………………………………………………..



VII Caring Judges





Judicial Opinions……………………………………………………………..
Judicial Reflections…………………………………………………………...



VIII Conclusion: Caring Family Courts…………………………………………………..

Index