Specialist Family Violence Court Lists: Best Practice in Supporting Service Provider and Legal Profession Integration

• In Event: Policies and Practices of Family and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention

Abstract

This study examines the provision of training to support integration between service providers and legal professionals operating in specialist family and intimate partner violence court lists. The NSW Specialist Family Violence Court List has been piloted in 2024 to improve justice outcomes for survivors of family and intimate partner violence, as well as to better direct offenders to behavioural change programs. The success of the pilot court list relies on collaboration between various actors, and in particular service providers and legal professionals. In advance of the operation of the specialist court list, training has been delivered to service providers and legal professionals in pilot jurisdictions. Through a combination of surveys and qualitative interviews this study assesses how well training has promoted successful collaboration to support the outcomes of the specialist court list. In particular, the study identifies what practical challenges exist to enhanced collaboration in support of survivors of family violence and intimate partner violence that training had not addressed. The study provides significant new insights in how innovative responses to family and intimate partner violence can be supported in court settings.

Authors

• Ray Nickson, School of Law and Justice, University of Newcastle

• Alice Neikirk, School of Law and Justice, University of Newcastle