Reform of the Family Courts: An Interdisciplinary Approach

2020 represented a period of hope for reform of the Family Courts in Ireland. In September, the heads of a Family Courts Bill were published and a consultation process was initiated with key stakeholders which promised to examine best practice and make recommendations for a dedicated Family Court. In undertaking this reform, it is useful to look to other jurisdictions that have established Family Court Divisions to learn from their experiences. This article presents some of the results of research (funded by the Irish Research Council) into the Family Court Division in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It examines the theoretical framework (therapeutic jurisprudence) upon which the Family Court was established, the processes and conflict resolution techniques used, and the lessons that may be learned in developing a model of best practice for this jurisdiction. It argues that much can be achieved by taking an interdisciplinary, holistic, stakeholder engaged approach, resulting in better outcomes for family law litigants and users of the court system.