Domestic Relations Work Group

Workgroup Profile

Charge

1. Assess current Washington models for consolidating domestic (including domestic violence) and juvenile offender and dependency cases, and identify specific components for success. Review operations of the legislatively-funded Unified Family Court demonstration projects in Thurston, King and Snohomish Counties. Identify the essential components of a Unified Family Court and recommend a desired implementation strategy for the state; estimate financial impact and responsibility for implementation. Develop proposed legislation/court rules to implement recommendations, together with an explanatory report summarizing findings/recommendations.
2. Assess current Washington courthouse facilitator models and identify specific components for success. Recommend a desired implementation strategy for the state. Estimate financial impact and responsibility for implementation. Recommend specific legislation/court rules to implement recommendations, together with an explanatory report summarizing findings/recommendations.
3. Recommend specific legislation and/or court rules in response to the parenting study performed by Dr. Lye for the Washington State Supreme Court Gender and Justice and Domestic Relations Commissions.

Subcommittees

1. Courthouse Facilitators Task Group - Judge Kathleen O’Connor, chair
   Charge: Assess current Washington courthouse facilitator models and identify specific components for success. Recommend a desired implementation strategy for the state. Estimate financial impact and responsibility for implementation. Recommend specific legislation/court rules to implement recommendations, together with an explanatory report summarizing findings/recommendations.
2. Parenting Act Report Task Group - Judge Marlin Appelwick, chair
   Charge: Recommend specific legislation and/or court rules in response to the parenting study performed by Dr. Lye for the Washington State Supreme Court Gender and Justice and Domestic Relations Commissions.
3. Unified Family Court Task Group - Justice Bobbe Bridge, chair
   Charge: Assess current Washington models for consolidating domestic (including domestic violence) and juvenile offender and dependency cases, and identify specific components for success. Review operations of the legislatively-funded Unified Family Court demonstration projects in Thurston, King and Snohomish Counties. Identify the essential components of a Unified Family Court and recommend a desired implementation strategy for the state; estimate financial impact and responsibility for implementation. Develop proposed legislation/court rules to implement recommendations, together with an explanatory report summarizing findings/recommendations

The Work Group has subdivided into 3 task groups. The task group meetings are as follows: