About Family Court

Family Court deals with specific issues that deserve our special concern. Children should never be just the subjects of a court proceeding. The purpose of the court should be to protect children and serve their best interests.

The Family Court hears cases involving:

• Child abuse & neglect
• Custody and visitation
• Family offenses (domestic violence & orders of protection)
• Child support
• Adoption
• Paternity
• Termination of parental rights
• Person in Need of Supervision (PINS)--Children who may need more help than the parents or school can give can be subject of a P.I.N.S. petition)
• Juvenile Delinquency (JD) --Youths charged with actions which would be considered crimes if they were older are subject to J.D. proceedings.

Family Court does NOT deal with divorce actions. Those are matters for the Supreme Court. The focus in Family Court is the children. Keeping matrimonial actions in a separate court helps maintain this focus.

Family Court grew out of the recognition that children had needs that the legal system wasn't addressing. Formed as a separate entity in the court reform of 1962, the first full time Family Court Judge took the bench in Saratoga County in 1969.

Since that time, every Judge elected to this bench in this county has been a Republican. For the Judicial branch of our government to function in a healthy manner, balance is needed. Help create that balance by electing Kurt to Family Court this November.

Our government needs change on so many levels. Change for our nation begins with change in our community.

For a brief history of the Family Court in New York State, see:
www.courts.state.ny.us/ history/family_ct/History_Fam_Ct.htm - 13k .

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About Family Court