I. Table of Contents

II. Task Force Members

III. Report Summary

IV. Introduction

A. Formation of Task Force

B. Models Considered

C. Input Process

D. Modifications of Preliminary Recommendations

1. Effective Date

2. Assignment of Judicial Applicants to the Family Department

E. Report Nomenclature

V. Need for a Family Department

A. Unique Nature of Family Disputes

B. Lack of Delay in Utah Trial Courts

C. Fragmented Jurisdiction

D. Multiplicity of Cases Affecting a Family

E. Specialization

F. Improve the Delivery of Justice to Families

1. Improved Case Management

2. Improved Information

3. Improved Coordination of Cases and Services

4. Nonadversarial Procedures

G. Conclusion

VI. Cases Assigned to the Family Department

A. Cases Recommended

B. Cases Not Recommended

1. Intrafamily Crimes

2. Minor Traffic Offenses

VII. The Family Department and the Delivery of Services

A. Family Department as a Court of Law

B. Dissolution of the Marriage

C. Delivery and Coordination of Services

1. Introduction

2. Advocacy for Services

3. Delivery of Services

a) Services in the Marketplace

b) Services within State Government

c) Employee Services or Contract Services

4. Alternatives

5. Separation of Judges from Program Supervision

6. List of Programs

VIII. Family Department Organization and Operations

A. Department of the District Court

B. Permanent Judge Assignment

1. Burnout

2. Fiefdoms

3. Equivalent Departments

4. Generalist Judge

5. Disadvantages of Rotation

6. Impediments to Calendar and Case Management

7. Advocacy for Programs

8. Alternatives to Rotation and Permanent Assignment

9. Recommendation: Permanent Assignment

C. Administration

1. Judicial Council

2. Board of Judges

3. Presiding Judge

4. Statewide Administrator

5. District Executive

6. Clerk of the Court

D. Operations

1. Case Management

a) Case Management Objectives

b) Case Management Functions

(1) Clerical

(2) Screening

(3) Case Coordination

(4) Service Coordination

(5) Information to Parties

(6) Training for Case Managers

(7) Periodic System Evaluations

2. Enforcement of Court Orders

3. One Family -- One Judge: Direct Calendaring

a) Master Calendar

b) Individual Calendar

c) Direct Calendar

d) Guidelines for Direct Calendar Case Assignment

4. Mediation of Domestic Disputes

a) Promise of Mediation

b) Process of Mediation

c) Concerns about Mediation

d) Qualification of Mediators

e) Other Methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution

5. Public Trial and Records

6. Appeals

7. Hours of Operation

8. Facilities

9. Rules of Procedure

IX. Transition to a Family Department of the District Court

A. Local Planning

B. Incumbent Judges

1. Self Selection of Assignment

2. Rotation

3. Recommendation: Prospective Application of the Family Department

C. Incumbent Court Commissioners and Staff

X. Family Department Caseload

XI. Appendix A: History of Utah Juvenile Court Studies

XII. Appendix B: Family Court Features of Other States and National Standards

A. Other States

B. ABA Standards Relating to Court Organization

C. National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

D. Family Courts: An Effective Judicial Approach to Resolution of Family Disputes by Robert W Page

XIII. Appendix C:  Bibliography101