Domestic Violence Court

All misdemeanor cases involving a charge of domestic battery will be returned to a dedicated courtroom and a dedicated judge who will be responsible for overseeing case possessing from initial hearing, disposition and for post dispositional compliance monitoring. Close judicial oversight of defendant behavior is maintained through frequent court appearances and regular information exchange with attorneys, prosecutors, Court Services personnel, and treatment providers. As evidenced by research, judicial monitoring has been shown to impress upon defendants the realization that the court knows what a defendant is doing within a treatment program, is aware of any infractions or violations that the defendant may have committed and understands that the court will respond strongly to noncompliance.

Differentiated case management (DCM) techniques will be utilized to process cases based upon the amount of judicial oversight required. The appeal of DCM is that it can contribute to increased productivity without sacrificing quality. Increased productivity, in turn, contributes to increased timeliness. Thus, more cases will be disposed of within established time guidelines and judicial staff will have more time to dedicate to more complex issues. In essence, the goal of DCM is to provide the same or better justice, sooner. Thus allowing the court to ensure the rights of due process, while not ensuring more process than what is due.