Glossary
Family court
A specialized court that handles cases involving family relationships: divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, paternity, and domestic violence restraining orders.
Most states have separate family-court divisions because these cases follow their own procedures and legal standards. A judge who handles a divorce on Monday probably doesn't also handle a contract dispute on Tuesday: the rules and emotional dynamics are too different.
Family-court matters often involve a "petitioner" and "respondent" instead of a plaintiff and defendant. Many family courts also have mandatory mediation programs, especially for custody disputes, before the case can go to trial.