Domestic Violence
| A goal of the Family Court is to intercede and
prevent Domestic Violence before it escalates into major violence.
Unfortunately, however, major violence can and does occur often before
we can intervene. In such cases, most communities have one or more
Domestic Violence Shelters. Often these facilities are sponsored by
Donations, and can be found by contacting your local Police Department. Millions of Men and Women annually are victimized by domestic violence. The California Legislature has issued mandatory guidelines for how Police and other agencies must respond to Emergency Domestic Violence calls. The goal of the Family Court, however, is to prevent such calls before they erupt in major violence. Victims of abuse often suffer secondary psychological and physical effects, including aggressive behavior and major depression. Children who witness abuse are more likely to become abusers themselves as adults, creating a cycle of violent behavior from generation to generation. Domestic Violence Restraining Orders do not necessary stop the problem over the long run unless the parties continue to take further actions. Intervention is often needed from Psychologists, Batterer Treatment programs, and police intervention at separating the parties. Major Domestic Violence is a common cause for children becoming public wards of the Juvenile Dependency Court, and becoming enrolled in Foster Care. In the Family Court, our goal is to obtain cooperation between parents such that Juvenile Court intervention becomes unnecessary. After domestic violence has erupted, it is unacceptable to take no action. No action means inevitable escalation. |