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Family Court Reform

In a bold response to the powerlessness expressed by thousands of women using Philadelphia’s Family Court system, the Women’s Law Project in 2000 embarked on an in-depth analysis of the court’s Domestic Relations Division. The project culminated in a 2003 report, Justice in the Domestic Relations Division of Philadelphia Family Court: A Report to the Community , revealing that the Division performed far below criteria set by the Commission on Trial Court Performance Standards and made justice elusive for many of its users.

Report findings showed the Court operated with:

  • Gross under-funding;
  • Unreliable public access;
  • Enormous caseloads;
  • Extremely short hearings; and
  • A location in a building that is too small, difficult to navigate, and unsafe.

Accounts of frustration and confusion with the existing judicial process were brought to our attention over several years through our Telephone Counseling Service. Many callers were overwhelmed while navigating an intimidating court system and also coping with fundamental issues of safety, survival and care of their children. Without funds for legal representation, these women had few other places to turn to for help -- given insufficient free legal services in Philadelphia and little assistance available at the court.
 
In a research process lasting more than two years, the WLP collected and analyzed data using Trial Court Performance Standards.  After researching case statistics and budget allocations, observing custody and Protection from Abuse court proceedings and courthouse operations and interviewing attorneys and litigants, we found that the Domestic Relations Division was hampered by serious backlog of cases and that barriers to access, fairness and resources undermined public trust in the Court.

The report highlighted the need for a modern, unified Family Court building and was the critical document in a subsequent campaign for new courthouse. Justice Ronald Castille, state Supreme Court liaison to Philadelphia, embraced that goal and invited WLP staff and other advocates to partake in the building planning process. Chancellor Elect of the Philadelphia Bar Association, Sayde Ladov, also committed to the project and organized discussions about the new building design. Though planning continues, the state has earmarked $200,000 million for the new facility, and a Philadelphia location for the building has been named.