Combining juvenile and family court issues in a Unified Family Court—including such matters as juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect, family violence, custody, and truancy—is the focus of a three-day conference scheduled October 16-19, 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre Hotel. “Forum on Children and Families in Court: Hope and Justice,” is being conducted by the Reno, Nevada-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges with support from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Supreme Court of Ohio. The conference is expected to draw some 500 juvenile and family court judges and related court staff from the state and around the country.

U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) has been invited to address the luncheon on Monday, Oct. 17. Also speaking at Monday’s luncheon will be Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Moyer.

 Best practices and innovative programs will be highlighted during the program in a number of plenary and workshop sessions. Some of the many topics explored will focus on Internet crimes against children, court safety, fathering after violence, mental health issues, media and the courts, child custody, violence and girls, gangs and truancy. Faculty will include experts from around the nation as well as local juvenile justice professionals such as Judge Ronald B. Adrine of Cleveland and Magistrate Dick Walsh of Cuyahoga County’s Family Drug Court.

The conference’s plenary sessions will include:

• Monday morning’s keynote speaker Marc Parent, child welfare worker and author of Turning Stones, who will discuss the many challenges in protecting children at risk.

• Prosecutor Peter Carlisle of Honolulu who will deliver Tuesday morning’s plenary session on the dangers of methamphetamine in “Life or Meth.”

• Dr. Phillip Resnick of Cleveland’s Case Medical School who will present the closing session on “Child Murder by Parents.” 

 The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, based on the University of Nevada, Reno campus, has been in the forefront of addressing issues pertaining to juvenile and family law since 1937, and is a leader in continuing education, research, and policy development.