family court

noun

|Updated on: 28 Jul 2018

Definition of family court

: court of domestic relations

Recent Examples of family court from the Web

Practically, finding adequate translation services for indigenous families is often difficult and leaves them with few avenues to access social services or interact in family court, often represented by someone who doesn’t speak the same language.

— rory taylor, Teen Vogue, "The Current Border Crisis Feels All Too Familiar for Indigenous Peoples in the United States," 12 July 2018
Since the early 1990s, juvenile courts across the state have been merging with family courts — which generally handle internal family issues such as divorce, custody and domestic violence.

— adiel kaplan, miamiherald, "She struck down gay adoption ban and handled notorious juvenile cases. Now she's retiring.," 3 July 2018
Additionally, family court handles the domestic violence docket, which involves abuse victims.

— nick hollkamp, The Courier-Journal, "Voters guide: Candidates for family court and district judges," 16 May 2018
That applies when the Public Defender can't secure a private attorney, and for lawyers who represent children's interests in family court, or people facing involuntary civil commitment for mental treatment.

— bruce vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin Supreme Court urged to force Legislature's hand on defense lawyer pay," 16 May 2018
In this city with a deep and proud relationship with football, a custody dispute has pushed the debate about the sport’s safety into a new arena: family court.

— ken belson, New York Times, "Football’s Brain Injury Crisis Lands in Family Court," 5 Mar. 2018
And while the matter wends its way through family court, Johnny has primary custody of the boys.

— jon wertheim, SI.com, "Johnny Bench Is Already a Hall-of-Famer, But He's Looking For a New Distinction," 5 July 2018
There is a real problem in family courts with judges not believing the victims, said Joan Meier, a professor of law at George Washington University and founder of the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP).

— sheila burke, The Seattle Times, "New state law seeks to stop ‘stalking by way of the courts’," 25 June 2018
Every day, family court separates parents from their children; every day criminal judges separate parents from their children and every day, children are placed in foster care away from their parents.

— Fox News, "Judge Jeanine: Political debate has become political abuse," 24 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'family court.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of family court

1917

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Law Dictionary

family court

noun

legal Definition of family court

: a court that has jurisdiction and often advisory powers over domestic disputes involving the rights and duties of husband, wife, parent, or child especially in matters affecting the support, custody, and welfare of children — compare juvenile court