Legislature considers opening Family Court to the public
February 24, 2012
Delaware: In March of 2012 the Delaware Legislature will consider the question of opening the proceedings of the Delaware Family Court to the public. Currently, some items on the Family Court docket, such as juvenile criminal/delinquency cases, are open but generally hearings related to custody/visitation, guardianship, adoption/termination of parental rights, dependency/neglect, paternity, and divorce-alimony/property division are closed.
Eileen King of the national group Justice for Children is an advocate for opening Family Courts, saying that "[w]hat's watched works" while attorney Shauna Hagan pointed out that "California recently noted that there is harm done by allowing the public into all courtroom proceedings" and added that when she asked the opinion of three psychologists, each of them immediately said no to the idea.[1]
The Family Courts are the last constitutional courts in Delaware with any proceedings closed to the public.
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