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Domestic relations courts settle legal issues involving families, such as divorce, child custody, and domestic violence. They may also include a juvenile court for minors. The court follows laws and regulations in the jurisdiction and may order fines or jail time for noncompliance with rulings.
Usually referred to as a family court, the domestic relations court is a court that focuses on resolving legal issues involving families. This type of court is part of the legal system in the United States, as well as a number of other countries around the world. Courts of this type are used to settle disputes between spouses and life partners in areas where civil unions are recognized as legally binding. Often, the actions of this court involve the dissolution of a marriage or civil partnership, the determination of child custody issues, or the handling of cases where there has been violence against one or more family members by a member of that family.
The status of legal unions is often debated in an internal relations tribunal. In situations where a couple who are married or in a civil partnership wish to separate legally, they can go to court and request legal recognition of this status. In some jurisdictions, this is required as a means of protecting the assets of each individual. A family court may also address the issue of annulments, essentially declaring that a marriage or civil partnership never legally took place. When the desire is to permanently end the legal union, the family court has the responsibility to grant or deny the divorce action. All courts dealing with internal relations are required to follow the laws and regulations that apply in that particular jurisdiction.
When children are involved, the domestic relations tribunal must seek to determine what type of custody arrangement is in the best interests of each child involved. In situations where children are older and deemed capable of expressing their wishes, many courts will honor those wishes if there is no legal reason to prevent such action. Among divorced couples who are able to present an amicable child custody agreement to the court, the court is likely to agree to and order such agreements, if there is no evidence that the agreement would be detrimental to physical and emotional well-being some children. In any action involving minor children, the court is required to ensure that every minor is safeguarded and protected to the fullest extent of the law.
In situations where a parent chooses not to comply with the ruling, there’s a good chance the domestic relations court will rule that the contempt has taken place and order any action permitted by the child custody laws that apply to the jurisdiction. For example, if a noncustodial parent fails to pay child support, he or she may be fined or even jailed, depending on applicable laws. At the same time, a custodial parent who denies court-ordered visitation rights to the noncustodial parent may also be subject to fines or even prison time for the infraction.
A domestic relations tribunal will also hear cases involving some incidents of domestic violence. While actions of this type often focus on physical violence directed at a family member, laws enacted in some jurisdictions around the world also allow for the incidence of mental abuse to be taken into account. Depending on the body of evidence and the laws the court must follow, the judge may issue rulings that pave the way for further lawsuits or order some type of relief or compensation along with the ruling.
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a juvenile court is included in the general structure of the domestic relations court. This court focuses on cases involving minors under the age of 18. In some jurisdictions, juvenile court may hear cases involving minors up to the age of 21, depending on the legal age of adulthood within the jurisdiction, and whether the child lives with one or both parents .
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