Innovative Kentucky Family Court Tackles Family Issues One Case at a Time

By Christina Rentz

Published on August 22, 2005

Across the country, family court judges are repeatedly faced with the challenge of making life-altering decisions for families they barely know and have possibly never met before. When dealing with sensitive issues such as child abuse and divorce, this unfamiliarity can severely hinder the effectiveness of the judge's ruling.

The family court system in Jefferson County, Kentucky is trying to overcome these impediments with an innovative approach to family law.

In the Jefferson County family court system, 10 family judges preside over approximately 5,000 cases each year. Unlike other family court systems in which judges concentrate on one specific area of family law, each Jefferson County judge handles a wide range of issues -- including child abuse and neglect, out-of-control children and teenagers, divorce, child custody, termination of parental rights, and adoption.

Each case is assigned to one judge until a satisfactory resolution has been met. The judge builds a bond with each family and becomes thoroughly familiar with all the unique circumstances of each case. This approach enables the judge to invent creative solutions tailored to each family's particular needs.

Child advocates in Jefferson County praise the system and say family courts across the nation should emulate Jefferson County.

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