What are domestic violence courts?
The first comprehensive domestic violence court program began in 1976 in Quincy, Massachusetts. In the early 1980s, Cook County (Chicago), Illinois, established a court to hear all domestic violence misdemeanor cases. In subsequent years, a number of courts have instituted various systems to consolidate the adjudication of these cases. Domestic violence courts have a specialized process for handling cases involving domestic violence, including centralized intake processes, separate calendars for civil protection order petitions and criminal domestic violence cases, and domestic violence units. Domestic violence courts vary organizationally and procedurally and offer varied levels of services. Many include intake units that orient victims to court procedures and provide legal assistance and referrals. Another common feature is the designation of one or more specialized judges to hear exclusively domestic violence cases. Dedicated calendars and specialized judges facilitate the developme
