The
judges of the superior court judicial districts with unified
family court pilot programs shall adopt local court rules
directing the program. The local court rules shall comply with
the criteria established by the administrative office of the
courts and shall include:
(1) A requirement that all judicial officers hearing cases
in unified family court:
(a) Complete an initial training program including the topic
areas of childhood development, domestic violence, cultural
awareness, child abuse and neglect, chemical dependency, and
mental illness; and
(b) Subsequent to the training in (a) of this subsection,
annually attend a minimum of eight hours of continuing education
of pertinence to the unified family court;
(2) Case management that is based on the practice of one
judge or judicial team handling all matters relating to a family;
(3) An emphasis on coordinating or consolidating, to the
extent possible, all cases before the unified family court
relating to a family; and
(4) Programs that provide for record confidentiality to
protect the confidentiality of court records in accordance with
the law. However law enforcement agencies shall have access to
the records to the extent permissible under the law.
[2005 c 282 § 32; 1999 c 397 § 3.]