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State Link Bench Tool Project

As a resource to assist judges handling family law matters (domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, juvenile offending, divorce, and custody), the NCJFCJ, in partnership with the ALDF, is developing state-specific bench tools to inform judges of the interconnections and link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence as well as the measures available, through state laws, to address the safety needs of children, adults, and pets experiencing abuse. Created with input from state judges, each bench tool is tailored to a state’s statutes, judicial authority, and resources.

Judge Rosa Figarola, (ret.) Senior Judge, FL, active in NCJFCJ’s work to develop education and resources for judges, notes that one way to address the link is for judges to ask about pets in cases involving troubled homes.  “When judges bring minors into chambers… it’s …useful to ask children questions such as ‘Do you have any pets?’ ‘What happens to the pets?’ …Examining the treatment of pets can yield clues about hidden family dynamics.” https://www.ncjfcj.org/news/psychology-today-how-animals-help-family-court-judges-make-better-decisions/               

 

You can also view each of the webinars on the NCJFJC’s YouTube page.