Creating a Domestic Violence Court: Combat in the Trenches

Source: (2000) Court Review (Spring).

In this article, Fritzler and Simon analyze domestic violence and attempts to protect women from domestic violence. Against a background of failed criminal and civil reforms to reduce this violence and protect women, they describe a court and community collaboration to institute a dedicated domestic violence court in Vancouver, Washington. This court is based on principles of therapeutic jurisprudence, preventive law, and restorative justice. The goals for this court are to hold offenders accountable, ensure the safety of victims and children (if present), and improve victim satisfaction with the justice process. Fritzler and Simon examine statistics and characteristics of domestic violence cases; the integration of therapeutic jurisprudence, preventive law, and restorative justice; the court’s process; coordination of services in the court; and unintended consequences that may flow from the creation of this court.