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National Resource Center on Military-Connected Families and the Courts

Military Family

Purpose

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ (NCJFCJ) National Resource Center on Military-Connected Families and the Courts is designed to be a resource for judicial officers and others working in courts with military-connected families in cases involving family violence, protection orders, divorce, child custody, child support, child abuse and neglect, and juvenile delinquency. The primary focus for the resource center is on active duty military members and their families with cases in the juvenile and family court system. Resources regarding military veterans, National Guard and reserve members are not the focus of the center at this time but may be included as they are pertinent to certain topics.

The Work of the NCJFCJ

Many overseas conflicts in the last decade have placed substantial stressors on members of our armed forces and their families. Multiple, extended deployments are common and create challenges to family stability and reintegration for those in the military. Juvenile and family courts often deal with the outcomes associated with these stressors and challenges in the form of cases involving domestic violence, abuse and neglect, custody, and child support. In hearing these cases, juvenile and family courts might be faced with navigating both civilian and military systems, as well as having to consider factors appropriately such as the neurobiological consequences of combat.

The NCJFCJ, guided by the Military Issues Committee and a 2011 resolution by its Board of Directors, is committed to developing and providing resources for judges and other court professionals to navigate and address effectively the unique issues facing members of our military and their families that touch the courts.

SJI Project Overview

The NCJFCJ received funding for a grant from the State Justice Institute (SJI) to address issues for Military-Connected Families and the Courts through December 2019 and is expecting support and involvement from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office on Military Community and Family Policy.

Project Goals:

  • To increase the effectiveness of juvenile and family courts in cases involving military service members and their families;
  • To increase collaboration between civilian and military personnel to resolve case processing issues and to enhance delivery of services to military service members and their families; and
  • To promote the exercise of judicial leadership in convening local stakeholders and community groups to form collaborations in order to resolve case processing issues and to deliver appropriate services to military personnel and their families.
  • Training and Technical Assistance

The grant provides training and technical assistance (TTA) to work in two demonstration court project sites – Camp Pendleton/San Diego County, CA, and Fort Knox/Hardin County, KY – to help courts serving military families develop judicial and military command collaborations at the local level. The grant also funds NCJFCJ staff to assist stakeholders in creating a coordinated systems approach to serving families with juvenile justice, child welfare, divorce, custody, and/or domestic violence cases.

TTA will include:

  • Needs assessments
  • Subject matter training
  • Site visits
  • Strategic planning
  • Creation of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and other tools

Project team members will assist selected sites in assessing current practices, implementing recommended practices, and piloting tools (such as bench cards and MOUs).

Task Force

A task force, composed of judges, military representatives, and others who have expertise in matters related to military family law will provide input on uniform standards for information sharing and the development of memoranda of understanding (MOU) templates, technical assistance bulletins, and outlines for promising practices for judges working with military families.

Resources in Development

  • Judicial Resource Guide for Working with Military-Connected Families and the Courts 
  • Toolkit for Courts to Develop a Memorandum of Understanding with a Military Installation

Request Technical Assistance

For more information, contact us.

Military Families and the Courts – Bench Card Resource Packet

View the Bench Card

A Judicial Resource Guide on Military Families and the Courts

Whether they realize it or not, all juvenile family court judges hear cases in their courts involving military service members (active duty, reserve, or retired) or their family members regardless of their community’s location or proximity to a military installation. A Judicial Resource Guide on Military Families and the Courts focuses on what judges need to know about military families in the court system and their unique factors. Information in the Guide is pertinent to child abuse and neglect, juvenile justice, family violence, and domestic relations case types. Information is covered on trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and their effects on families. Judicial considerations and questions to ask in hearings are included. Key federal legislation is addressed, including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), the Interstate Compact on Juveniles (ICJ), and the Lautenberg Amendment, along with the implications for cases involving military families. Additional, pertinent resources are provided for each case type.

Download the Guide
National Resource Center on military Connected Families and the Courts

Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs)

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a critical document in establishing coordinated efforts. An MOU is a multilateral agreement among multiple parties intended to express a common vision and line of action. MOUs represent a collective commitment among service providers, state agencies, victim serving organizations, grassroots services, courts, and other relevant agencies, to adhere to specific principles and shared responsibilities for the collaborative’s engagement. When developing a comprehensive MOU, stakeholders must specifically define the roles and responsibilities of each involved party, as well as clearly identified areas of shared responsibility. MOUs should be developed with the understanding that it is a living document, subject to changes in goals and dynamics as needed to adapt and sustain an effective collaborative.

The NCJFCJ has created a template for use by military installations and courts. It is available for download below.

Download the MOU

Recorded Webinars

Veterans Treatment Courts: Enhancing Support for Military-Connected Survivors of DVSAS in the VTC Process

View This Webinar
This training provides Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) personnel, court judges, legal clerks, and other key stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to support military-connected survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Sexual Assault, and Stalking (DVSAS). It explores the unique dynamics of these cases, challenges in navigating military and civilian systems, and the importance of building coordinated responses. Participants will gain practical strategies for collaborating with local agencies and advocates to provide holistic, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered support within VTC settings. Through case studies, interactive discussions, and actionable insights, this session emphasizes the critical role VTC personnel play in ensuring equitable access to justice and recovery services for military-connected survivors
View This Webinar

Connecting the Dots in Military and Civilian Family Courts: Animal Abuse’s Links to Other Family Violence

View This Webinar
Pets provide military families with great comfort and companionship. They offer unconditional love and can provide immense support during transitions and changes in the family. Unfortunately, pets can also be used to inflict emotional abuse and to manipulate and control people and situations. This webinar covers how civilian courts and military installations can work together to identify animal abuse in military families and develop collaborative strategies to address and stop the abuse.
View This Webinar

A Judicial Resource Guide on Military Families and the Courts

View This Webinar
Whether they realize it or not, all juvenile family court judges hear cases in their courts involving military service members (active duty, reserve, or retired) or their family members regardless of their community’s location or proximity to a military installation. This webinar covers information pertinent to child abuse and neglect, juvenile justice, family violence, and domestic relations case types.
View This Webinar

Introduction to Military Divorce and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

View This Webinar
Divorces where at least one party is in the uniformed services can present challenges for those unfamiliar with the military. This webinar provides an introduction to military divorce, unique challenges they present, and the implications of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act on military divorces and related proceedings.
View This Webinar

Dividing Military Pension

View this Webinar
Military pensions can be a complex and frustrating element of a military divorce. This webinar will look at the different types of retirement from uniformed service and what judges need to know about dividing military pensions.
View this Webinar

Legislation

The statements and positions contained within these resources do not represent official positions of the NCJFCJ, or the State Justice Institute, and are solely those of the author or authoring organizations. For more information on the NCJFCJ’s policies and positions, please review the official NCJFCJ Resolution Regarding Judicial Education on Military Issues here.

Servicemembers Civil Rights Act (SCRA)

The SCRA covers all active duty service members, reservists, and members of the National Guard while on active duty. The protection begins on the date of entering active duty and generally terminates within 30 to 90 days after discharge. The SCRA can postpone or suspend financial or civil obligations to prevent you from being taken advantage of while on active duty and away from home. It covers issues such as rental agreements, security deposits, prepaid rent, evictions, installment contracts, credit card interest rates, mortgage interest rates, mortgage foreclosures, civil judicial proceedings, automobile leases, life insurance, health insurance, and income tax payments.

Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

The UCCJEA governs state courts’ jurisdiction to make and modify “child-custody determinations,” a term that expressly includes custody and visitation orders. The UCCJEA requires state courts to enforce valid child-custody and visitation determinations made by sister state courts. It also establishes innovative interstate enforcement procedures. The UCCJEA is designed to deter interstate parental kidnapping and promote uniform jurisdiction and enforcement provisions in interstate child custody and visitation cases.

Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act (UDPCVA)

The UDPCVA includes a wide variety of provisions that protect a service member’s right to child custody. This act is specific to military parents deployed for longer than the SCRA stay period of 90 days, but fewer than 18 months. Perhaps the most notable provision of the UDPCVA is that one parent cannot use a service member’s deployment as the sole factor for the determination of legal custody.

Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is a contract among all 50 states for providing protection and support services for children moved between states for birth parent unification or reunification when the court has jurisdiction over the child. The ICPC ensures that the sending agency or individual does not lose jurisdiction over the child once the child moves to the receiving state.

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)

The UCMJ defines the military justice system and lists criminal offenses under military law. The law requires the president of the United States to write rules and regulations to implement military law, including detailed rules and regulations for military court-martials, and provides for maximum punishments for each military offense listed in the punitive articles of the UCMJ.

The statements and positions contained within these resources do not represent official positions of the NCJFCJ, or the State Justice Institute, and are solely those of the author or authoring organizations. For more information on the NCJFCJ’s policies and positions, please review the official NCJFCJ Resolution Regarding Judicial Education on Military Issues here.

Summits

September 2019

Read the Final Report
The NCJFCJ held the Second National Summit on Courts and Military-Connected Families (Summit) September 23-24, 2019, at the Saber and Quill Conference Center, Fort Knox, KY. The one-and-a-half-day Summit brought together members and staff of the military-related committees of the NCJFCJ, subject matter experts, representatives of national-level organizations that serve military-connected families, stakeholders with local and state government and nonprofit organizations, and members of the civilian and military communities of two demonstration sites selected for this State Justice Institute (SJI) funded project.

The Summit’s purpose was to further the national discussion by those who engage with justice-involved service members, National Guard, Reserve, and veteran populations on how best to assist them when they interface with juvenile and family courts. The 2019 Summit sought to be a focused and targeted “deep dive” into the realities of the information and practices needed to promote effective court-military systems communication and collaboration.
Read the Final Report

March 2015

Read the Final Report
Under the auspices and leadership of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, a first-ever National Summit on Courts and the Military (Summit) was convened in March 2015 at the U.S. Infantry Museum outside the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. The focus and goal of the Summit was to create the groundwork for a collaborative relationship between the courts and the many military institutions, civilian agencies, and government departments that serve and assist military families in need that access the civilian court systems.

Years in the planning, the Summit organizers brought together nearly 100 individuals representing all branches of government and the military: state court judicial leaders from across the country; armed forces personnel including former commanding officers; federal executive departments of Office of the Secretary of Defense and Veterans Affairs; federal and state legislators; and various service organizations for military families, together with academic, research, and policy groups with a keen interest in the welfare of the military family.
The goal of the Summit was met as participants developed action plans both modest and large. They identified current assets and noted the challenges and barriers that exist in achieving effective coordination of systems and organizations. As a group, they stand poised to assist military-connected families in the state court systems in a more informed, transparent, and effective manner.

The Summit succeeded in generating information sharing, excitement, and resounding commitment from this multi-disciplinary group of participants, with keen interest from these top leaders and experts for future collaborative work. Available funding will enable the vital work to continue and cement the connections and goodwill between organizations and leaders formed at this Summit.
Read the Final Report

Additional Resources

The statements and positions contained within these resources do not represent official positions of the NCJFCJ or the State Justice Institute and are solely those of the author or authoring organizations. For more information on the NCJFCJ’s policies and positions, please review the official NCJFCJ Resolution Regarding Judicial Education on Military Issues here.

National & State Resources

Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, is a program that provides on-demand, online tutoring and homework help at no cost to eligible service members and their dependents.  Military-connected students can work with a tutor from any internet-connected device, anywhere in the world and connect to an expert tutor 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Demographics

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Samples & Resources

  • Referral of Juvenile Criminal Offenses on the Fort Benning Military Reservation to State Authorities. (n.d.) Memorandum of Understanding between The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. The Fort Benning Maneuver Center of Excellence, and The District Attorney’s Office for the Chattahoochee Judicial District. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  • Sullivan, M. (n.d.) On Base and Beyond: Negotiating the Military/State Agreement. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  • The Department of Defense State Liaison Office (DSLO). (n.d.)  Retrieved March 13, 2019.

Forms

Interstate Compact on Economic Opportunity for Military Children

Legal and Related Services

Protection Orders

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs)

  • Clark, S., McGuire, J. & Blue-Howells, H. (2014) What can family court learn from veterans treatment courts? Family Court Review, 52, 417-424
  • Clark, S., McGuire, J. & Blue-Howells, J. (2011) Development of veterans treatment courts: local and legislative initiatives. Drug Court Review, 3, 171–208
  • Holbrook, J.G. & Anderson, S. (2011) Veterans courts: early outcomes and key indicators for success. Widener Law School Legal Studies Research Paper, Series 11, 25, 1–52. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  • McGuire, J., Clark, S., Blue-Howells, J., & Coe, C. (2013) An inventory of VA involvement in veterans courts, dockets and tracks. VA Veterans Justice Programs. Retrieved February 2, 2015,
  • Russell, R.T. (2009) Veterans treatment court: A proactive approach. New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement, 35, 357-372
  • Smee, D.E., McGuire, J., Garrick, T., Sreenivasan, S., Dow, D. & Woehl, D. (2013) Critical concerns in Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran-forensic interface: Veteran treatment court as diversion in rural communities. Journal of American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 41, 256-262
  • To find resources or a Veterans Treatment Court, visit the Justice for Vets website.

Special Topics

Maltreatment

  • Gibbs, D.A., Martin, S.L., Kupper, L.L., & Johnson, R.E. (2007) Child maltreatment in enlisted soldiers’ families during combat-related deployments. Journal of the American Medical Association, 298, 528-535
  • Gibbs, D.A., Martin, S.L., Johnson, R.E., Rentz, E.D., Clinton-Sherrod, M., & Hardison, J. (2008) Child maltreatment and substance abuse among U.S. Army soldiers. Child Maltreatment, 13, 259-268
  • Gibbs, D.A., Martin, S.L., Clinton-Sherrod, Hardison Walters, J.L. & Johnson, R.E. (2011) Child maltreatment with military families. RTI International: Research Brief. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  • Martin, S.L., Gibbs, D.A., Johnson, R.E., Rentz, E.D., Clinton-Sherrod, M., Hardison Walters, J.L., & Sullivan, K. (2009) Male soldier family violence offenders: Spouse and child offenders compared to child offenders. Violence and Victims, 24, 458-468
  • McCarroll, J.E., Fan, Z. Newby, J.H., & Ursano, R.J. (2008) Trends in US Army child maltreatment report: 1990- 2004. Child Abuse Review, 17, 108-118
  • McCarroll, J.E., Ursano, R.J., Fan, Z., & Newby, J.H. (2004) Comparison of U.S. Army and civilian substantiated reports of child maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, 9, 103-110
  • Rabenhorst, M.M., McCarthy, R.J., Thomsen, C.J., Milner, J.S., Travis, W.J., & Colasanti, M.P. (2015) Child maltreatment among U.S. Air Force parents deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. Child Maltreatment, 20, 61-71
  • Rentz, E.D. (2006) Child abuse and neglect in military and non-military families: An analysis of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), 2000-2003. Retrieved from ProQuest (UMI Microform 3207360)
  • Rentz, E.D., Marshall, S.W., Martin, S.L., Gibbs, D.A., Casteel, C., & Loomis, D. (2008) Occurrence of maltreatment in active duty military and nonmilitary families in the state of Texas. Military Medicine, 173, 515-522
  • Thomsen, C.J., Rabenhorst, M.M., McCarthy, R.J., Milner, J.S., Travis, W.J., Foster, R.E., & Copeland, C.W. (2014) Child maltreatment before and after combat-related deployment among active duty. United States Air Force maltreating parents. Psychology of Violence, 4, 143-155

Allied Organizations

Blue Star Families

Founded by military spouses, Blue Star Families connects military families to local community resources across the nation and around the world. Blue Star Families helps communities become aware of the difficulties and isolation these families face by providing them with information about the day-to-day lives of military families.

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness (Clearinghouse)

The Clearinghouse was created to serve as a research center and provide resources to professionals working with military families. Serving U.S. military families, the Clearinghouse helps professionals implement, evaluate, and improve programs for military service members and their families.

Families Over Coming Under Stress (FOCUS)

FOCUS has been operational for 20 years and it provides research to children and families related to military life. FOCUS provides communication and problem solving to military families faced with challenges related to military life.

​Interstate Commission for Juveniles

The Interstate Commission for Juveniles, the governing body of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, through means of joint and cooperative action among the compacting states, preserves child welfare and promotes public safety interests of citizens, including victims of juvenile offenders, by providing enhanced accountability, enforcement, visibility, and communication in the return of juveniles who have left their state of residence without permission and in the cooperative supervision of delinquent juveniles who travel or relocate across state lines.

Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP)

LAMP has jurisdiction relating to legal assistance to military service members and their families. LAMP maintains a close connection with the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and several military bar associations to ensure that military service members and their families have access to free and affordable legal services.

Military Animal Project (MAP)

The Military Animal Project provides military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Anxiety, and Depression, a means to heal through Therapy, Emotional Support, Service Dogs & their Equine Buddies Program.

Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)

The MCEC is a community of partners from across the U.S. that focuses on providing military-connected children to resources to ensure equal access in order for them to succeed. Military-connected children affected by deployment, family separation and transition have access to various MCEC programs, services, and professional development.

Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University (MFRI)

The MFRI began in 2000 after Purdue University opened its Center for Families focusing on improving the quality of lives for families. The MFRI is dedicated to providing military service members and their families with outreach and programming; shaping military work through policies, programs, and practices; and collaborating with communities with research and best practices that support families.

Military OneSource

Military OneSource is funded by the Department of Defense and provides 24/7 access to information and support to military service members and their families from anywhere. The Military OneSource online resources connect military service members and their families to programs, services, and products that align and were developed for military life.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

The NCTSN was created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children’s Health Act to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. The continued work of the NCTSN supports the further development of treatment and services to prevent mental health problems among children and families who have experienced trauma and reduce its impact on adult health and productivity.

North Carolina State Bar – Legal Assistance for Military Personnel

The North Carolinas State Bar – Legal Assistance for Military Personnel provides military service members and their families access to military attorneys in the state of North Carolina to assist with legal assistance. The website has a dedicated webpage for military service members and their families that easily navigates through finding an attorney and information needed to begin working with them.

Star Behavioral Health Providers (SBHP)

The Indiana National Guard, Psychological Health Program National Guard Bureau, Family and Social Services Administration, Purdue University Military Family Research Institute, and the Center for Deployment Psychology Uniformed Services University created the SBHP website. Through this interactive registry map of the U.S., military service members and their families can locate behavioral health professionals that have completed training to treat and understand the dynamics of military service members and their families.

State Justice Institute (SJI)

SJI is a non-profit corporation established by federal law in 1984 to provide federal and private funding of grants to organizations with mission statements to improve state courts. SJI supports the efforts for numerous projects across the U.S. that establish state-of-the-art and efficient solutions to state courts that address some of our nation’s largest issues in family violence, drug abuse, juvenile justice, and alternative dispute resolutions.

U.S. Department of Defense Military Family Support

The U.S. Department of Defense Military Family Support website provides an extensive list for external resources from Air Compassion for Veterans; Armed Forces Foundation; Armed Services YMCA; ASMBA Star Foundation; Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, and many more for military service members and their families.

Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project is a community of military service members, veterans, and their families that provide services for recovery and/or alternative methods for veteran care to military service members and veterans who, have sustained physical or mental injury, illness or wounds. Through this supportive community, the Wounded Warrior Project connects military service members, veterans, and their families to resources on family support, legal services, and to understanding and accessing benefits.

Related Publications & Bench Cards

Military Families

Military Families and the Courts - Bench Card Resource Packet

Webinar

Military Families & the Courts Bench Card Resources Webinar

Webinar

Break from the Bench: Military Connected Families and Domestic Violence