Family Court Review
Journal Data
| Type | JOURNAL |
|---|---|
| Publisher | John Wiley & Sons Inc. (US) |
| ISSN | 1531-2445 / 1744-1617 |
| Scopus | 21100933893 |
| Wikidata | Q15754307 |
| OpenAlex | S173756354 |
| MAG | 173756354 |
| Website | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17441617 |
| Total publications | 477 |
| Coverage period | 1976 - 2026 |
| Country | GB |
| Language | EN |
| Indexing | Scopus indexed |
| Impact factor | 0.364 |
| SJR | 0.316 (Q2) |
| SNIP | 0.576 |
| CiteScore | 1.2 |
| Female authorship share | 65.8% |
Family Court Review focuses on family law, court systems, and related social issues. This falls under legal studies and social policy, which are cognate social sciences with regular, but not central, anthropological intersection
Law · Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child Welfare and Adoption · Conflict of Laws and Jurisdiction · Discrimination and Equality Law · Dispute Resolution and Class Actions · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
It's time to uncover the truth
Adopted children may never possess curiosity as to who their biological parents are. But this is not always the case. Some have an innate desire to receive information regarding their birth parents that can cause them psychological turmoil throughout their lives. Some have reasoning supported by medical necessity to uncover this information. However, not every state is forgiving with uncovering this information. Many states with sealed records re…
A quasi‐experimental trial of two court‐based parent education programs for high‐conflict separated/divorcing families
This study evaluated two court‐mandated parent education programs utilized in Maricopa County, Arizona— Families in Transition (FIT) and Parent Conflict Resolution (PCR)—for high‐conflict separated/divorcing parents. Between December 2022 and June 2023, 214 parents were assigned to FIT or PCR. They were assessed on interparental conflict, emotion regulation, and child outcomes at baseline and one month later, on program acceptability, feasibility…
Bodies on loan
Imagine a woman, driven by compassion or the need to provide for her family, agrees to carry a child for someone else. Now, picture her facing a life‐threatening complication, begging for medical help, only to be denied because of a law meant to protect the very life she carries. This is the harsh reality for surrogates in a post‐Dobbs America, where their health and autonomy are sacrificed on the altar of conflicting laws and contractual obligat…
Preliminary evaluation of the BeH20 co‐parenting program using a multiple baseline experimental design
This study evaluated BeH20, a community‐embedded co‐parenting program for divorced and separated parents experiencing high interparental conflict, using two complementary designs. In Study 1, 102 parents completed a one‐time post‐only survey, rating perceived changes in their co‐parenting quality, program components, overall satisfaction, and likelihood of recommending BeH20. Results showed a large, significant improvement in perceived co‐parenti…
Reenvisioning co‐parent education
High‐conflict co‐parenting inflicts considerable emotional and psychological strain, often hindering parents' capacity for emotional regulation, adaptability, and cooperation. In such cases, intervention is critical. Although co‐parenting and divorce education programs have become more common, many still lack a robust theoretical foundation and underprioritize intrapersonal barriers to cooperation. To narrow the gap, this pre‐post pilot study exa…
Parent‐child mediation in family law
The inclusion of children in family mediation is a much‐discussed topic in Australia. However, the debate tends to centre around indirect modes of participation (normally via a child consultant), with parents remaining the mediating parties. By contrast, in continental Europe, children are increasingly welcomed at the mediation table, and in 2018, France officially included parent‐adolescent mediation in its family mediation structure. This paper…
The greatest good is what we do for one another
The enactment of Federal Decree Law No. 17 of 2023 amended the law on surrogacy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Those living in the UAE now have the option and flexibility to embark on their surrogacy journey. The removal of a prior ban on surrogacy reflects the cultural development and modernization of a predominantly Muslim country that is largely governed by Islamic law. This note explores the surrogacy framework in the UAE, focusing primar…
Exploring eldercaring coordination as a way to safeguard the rights of older people
This article examines a 19‐month pilot introducing eldercaring coordination to Australia through collaboration between the University of South Australia and Relationships Australia South Australia. The research demonstrates that eldercaring coordination enhances existing tools for courts and professionals while complementing Australia's progression toward supported decision‐making and addressing high‐conflict, complex family cases. Eldercaring co…
Widening our professional lenses
The concept of “eldering” frames aging as an evolving, relational facet within families applicable to diverse legal and cultural contexts. By broadening our professional lenses, we can more effectively respond to the complex, layered interdependent intricacies of families, and the needs of the individuals within, as they evolve through time. This article incorporates valuable insights from this Family Court Review Special Issue and offers a guide…
Seventh roundtable on nonmarriage and the law
None of the authors have a conflict of interest to disclose. Research data are not shared
Narrative ethics as an eldering paradigm
This article explores how interdisciplinary family law professionals can use narrative ethics to elevate the voice of older adults and benefit multiple generations of family members. Narrative Ethics is the study of the way in which an individual tells us a story and the way in which we listen to that story. We offer a hypothetical older adult's story as we consider the application of narrative ethics to the story and discuss relevant professiona…
Cold war maternalism
By examining the ideological legacy of Operation Babylift, this article explores the interplay of ideology, power, and intercountry adoption law. Operation Babylift, a U.S. military humanitarian mission in April 1975, airlifted 2,547 children from Vietnam for adoption abroad. Among these adoptees, approximately 1,000 had no valid parental consent or proper documentation. Nguyen v. Kissinger—a class action on behalf of the Operation Babylift adopt…
Justice, money or both
Federal law allows either the parents or the opposing school district to reclaim attorney's fees upon winning a due process hearing. However, the Circuits of the United States Courts of Appeals are divided on if a fees action is either ancillary or independent from the special education litigation due to Congressional silence. When the Circuits adopted different state limitation periods from state law, it created varying results across the nation…
Elder justice
A lifetime of discrimination, stigma, and harassment for LGBTQ+ older adults may be the source of legal conflict or the lens through which family court matters are perceived and litigated. Interdisciplinary family law professionals must understand the historical context and challenges facing LGBTQ+ older adults to meaningfully and competently work with this community. This article examines older LGBTQ+ family systems and intersections with family…
No cap, that's a lot of money
In an intact family, the parents can decide together how much they are willing to contribute to their child(ren)'s post‐secondary education, regardless of their financial ability. However, this right can be taken away from divorced/unmarried parents. In New York, the court has authority to order the non‐custodial parent to pay a percentage of their child(ren)'s college education. There is no limit on the amount the court can order nor a set perce…
The coming of age
Demographic trends manifest in family law cases, and this article examines the demographic factor of age. Beyond metaphors of a “graying society,” population aging affects family structures, caregiving responsibilities, and legal disputes. Through a U.S. perspective with comparative insights, this article highlights how aging intersects with custody, divorce, domestic violence, multigenerational interdependencies and responsibilities, and family …
Introduction to the special issue
Interrelationships between younger and older family members are vital to maintaining family cohesion, transmitting values, fostering support, and nurturing a legacy for future generations. When these relationships have gone awry, the protections, social capital, and other benefits of mutual support and collaboration are disrupted. Multiple generations of the family may be left in shackles, chained to past acute events or burdened by misperception…
Safe harbors and stable connections? The relationships between grandparents and grandchildren
Grandparents can play a variety of roles in the lives of their grandchildren, ranging from occasional visitor to full‐time caregiver, representing a stabilizing force or a source of conflict. Grandparents' level of engagement varies according to cultural norms, familial need for support, and legal determinations. Research suggests that children benefit from the presence of supportive and involved grandparents and perhaps lose out on opportunities…
Meeting the health, financial and legal challenges of stepfamilies in later life
Longtime stepfamilies and later‐life re‐couplers with adult children from previous relationships are a growing demographic. Legal default assumptions are designed for younger first‐time families, not for aging families or stepfamilies. However, for stepcouples who plan, and who document their wishes, the legal landscape allows for later‐life stepcouples to exercise choice and create individualized alternatives. This article addresses normal chall…
Psychometric validation and comparative analysis of the eldercaring conflict checklist ( ECC )
The Eldercaring Conflict Checklist (ECC) was initially developed as a comprehensive 70‐item measure to assess eldercaring family conflicts. The ECC short‐form offers a more practical version for use by professionals while retaining psychometric integrity. Two studies involving a total sample of 354 family and eldercare professionals were combined to assess the newly created 28‐item ECC. Results found the short‐form reliable in terms of total scor…
Introduction
The seeds of this Special Feature were planted 15 years ago through the observation of young children's everyday routines and rituals at a day-care centre. It was clear, even then, that children developed inventive ways to manage transitions seeking comfort and connection in the moment of parting, such as pressing a hand against a window to mirror a parent's touch on the other side. Children often relied on transitional objects to self-soothe aft…
New footprints on an old trail
I am thrilled to join Family Court Review (FCR) as the new Social Science Editor. I am honored and profoundly privileged to take on this prestigious role within the family law community. I approach this opportunity with an earnest appreciation for those who have contributed to the journal's history over the past sixty-plus years. I have tremendous respect for FCR's longstanding tradition of connecting scholarship, law, and mental health practice …
Transitions between homes in parenting plans
Children and adolescents can experience a wide range of emotions when transitioning between their parents' homes after separation and divorce, including anticipation, distress, and fear. Even when they enjoy spending time at each parent's residence, changeovers can expose them to interparental conflict and loyalty conflicts. Poorly managed, these changeovers can have a direct impact on children's overall adjustment and sense of belonging. Despite…
The next frontier of parent–child contact problems‐the wild‐west of court‐ordered reunification therapy
The family courts have become deeply muddled in seeking to repair parent–child relationships that go significantly beyond making custody and parenting orders by ordering children and the non‐aligned parent to participate in reunification therapy. Absent guidelines on the scope of court‐ordered reunification therapy or resources supporting these programs, we have a wild west of judges making vague and overbroad orders that are often overturned as …
Building bridges, breaking silos
This January 2026 issue of Family Court Review marks the last for which Marsha Kline Pruett serves as Social Science Editor. Marsha has worked conscientiously and enthusiastically in this role since her debut in the April 2019 issue. Those of us who have worked closely with Marsha during that time want to express to her and to our readers how very much she has meant to us and to the ongoing success of the journal. As Marsha shared in her “Introdu…
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Family Law and Family Therapy
The Principles and Practice of Conciliation
Dispute Resolution in China
Child Support Guidelines
From a conflict resolution perspective, it is clear why the child support guidelines are not going to reduce the adequacy and compliance gaps in child support payment conflicts between parents. As it stands, the conflict over equally sharing child support is destructive rather than positive. The guidelines do not reframe the conflict for the parents, enabling them to believe the interests of children are more important than their own interests to…
The Children Act 1989 and the Voice of the Child in Family Conciliation
Over the past 10 years, there has been a rapid development of conciliation throughout Great Britain in matters relating to divorce and separation. The growth has been in terms of the accessibility of services as well as in the styles of conciliation practice offered. Throughout this period, the question of the involvement of children in conciliation has persisted as a key issue. Should children be involved at all, and if so, how should this invol…
The Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China
This article describes the Chinese laws of marriage and divorce under the People's Republic of China and traces their historical antecedents. The actual laws are included at the end of the article in the appendixes. Fascinating changes are occurring in China and are documented in this article
Time and Structure of Mediation Sessions in the Los Angeles County Conciliation Court
Assessing and Managing Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse
This article examines the procedures involved in the assessment and management of allegations of child sexual abuse in courts exercising custody and access jurisdictions. The author discusses the various options available to the court when confronted with such allegations, noting that, in the contex: of access disputes, the issue for the court is not whether a parent has sexually abused a child but whether, in all the circumstances of the case, a…
The Custody Wars
Family Court Review is the leading interdisciplinary academic and research journal for family law professionals. The journal provides comprehensive coverage of family court practice, theory, research, and legal opinion.
How Are Courts Coordinating Family Cases
Family Court Review is the leading interdisciplinary academic and research journal for family law professionals. The journal provides comprehensive coverage of family court practice, theory, research, and legal opinion
The Alienated Child
In this article, controversies and problems with parental alienation syndrome are discussed. A reformulation focusing on the alienated child is proposed, and these children are clearly distinguished from other children who resist or refuse contact with a parent following separation or divorce for a variety of normal, expectable reasons, including estrangement. A systemic array of contributing factors are described that can create and/or consolida…
In the Aftermath of Troxel V. Granville
While the Court in Troxel v. Granville opines about the problems litigation creates, that of both expense and intrusion into the lives of families in the midst of grandparent visitation disputes, the Court decision falls short of posing a solution. The focus of this note is to propose a standard for mediation as a viable alternative to traditional litigation in such cases. The hope is that mediation will serve the best interests of the child
A Call Unheeded
This article discusses the obstacles to implementing education programs for divorcing parents, the goal of which is to make parents aware of the effect divorce can have on children and provide them with skills necessary to address such problems. This article attempts to differentiate between adopter and nonadopter courts, that is, courts that have adopted mandatory education programs for divorcing parents and courts that have not. The article als…
Building a Bridge
This article examines how family mediation training was used to construct a bridge between cultural and legal norms in an attempt to help heal a community struggling with assimilation challenges
Magellan's Discoveries
In 1998, the Family Court of Australia introduced an interagency, multidisciplinary pilot program for managing parenting disputes that involved allegations of child abuse. The program, known as Project Magellan, is an example of the trend in judicial administration toward specialized court programs. It involved one hundred families and several state and federal agencies and human service organizations. This article presents the findings of an eva…
The Riddle of Troxel
The Evolution of Modern Canadian Family Law Procedure
“Family law procedure” differs greatly from “civil procedure.” Canadian jurisdictions and common‐law jurisdictions have copied English reforms of merging law and equity. Canada unlike the United States confined legislative authority over divorce to the federal government under the British North American Act. The Canadian federal government enacted the national Divorce Act of 1968, which had a homogenizing effect on substantive family law across C…
In the Best Interests of Children
In the traditional family law and child protection litigation where the court is asked to make determinations based on the best interests of a minor, the adversarial, rights‐based model often fails to serve the interests of children and families and may be more harmful than beneficial to children relative to other possible methods of dispute resolution. This article examines the shortcomings of such an adversarial, rights‐based model; briefly hig…
Elijah and Ishmael
Assessing Mutual Partner‐abuse Claims in Child Custody and Access Cases
This article explores issues associated with mutual claims of domestic violence in the context of research on gender and violence, and in the context of litigation tactics commonly employed by perpetrators in child custody and access cases. Quotations from parents involved in such cases illustrate why accurate assessment of mutual cliams requires complete information about social context and the analysis of patterns of domination, power and contr…
Movin' On
In Canada, relocation cases are governed by the 1996 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Gordon v. Goertz , thanks to Canada's constitutional and judicial structure. Gordon rejects presumptions or burdens, mandating an individualized best interests inquiry in every case. Since 1996, appeal courts have done little to develop or refine this approach. Trial level decisions do reveal certain trends, allowing moves in about 60% of cases, but more ofte…
The Decision of the Supreme Court of Canada Upholding the Constitutionality of Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada
Family Court Review is the leading interdisciplinary academic and research journal for family law professionals. The journal provides comprehensive coverage of family court practice, theory, research, and legal opinion
Marriage in Canada-Evolution or Revolution
On July 20, 2005, the Canadian Civil Marriage Act became law, extending equal access to civil marriage to same-sex couples while respecting religious freedom. This article briefly traces the distinctive juridical factors that have contributed to the legislation: the constitutional comity or dialogue among Parliament, the courts and the people resulting from the constitutional entrenchment of a Charter of rights and freedoms; the growth of the sub…
Foreword to the Special Issue on the Family Law Education Reform Project
The purpose of this issue is to promote a dialogue between the family law academic community and stakeholders in the family law system about how future family lawyers should be educated. Family law practice has undergone dramatic change in the last quarter century, perhaps more than any other area of practice. Virtually everything about it has changed—the role of the family court, the procedure for resolving family disputes, the role of the famil…
Invisible Parties
This article discusses how children are involved in family court proceedings in New Zealand. On July 1, 2005, the Care of Children Act 2004 came into force. One of the changes brought about by this Act is an increased expectation that children will participate in proceedings involving them, by the court giving the child a reasonable opportunity to express his or her view. Children may participate in three ways, the primary mechanism being through…