But I have never seen the New Zealand domestic violence bench book. I have copies of the domestic violence bench books for family courts in the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia and Commonwealth East Africa. I’m a New Zealand expert in forensic psychology, expert evidence, and judicial administration. I research and write about systemic responses to domestic violence and child abuse internationally. ![]() * How the Family Court rewards abusive behaviour * How a broken system for protection orders fails victims of domestic violence They could be hopelessly outdated or full of misinformation, and there would be no way for experts, legislators, lawyers, or the public to know. In New Zealand, bench books are secret, available only to judges. ![]() For example, criminal court judges have bench books that help them craft jury directions and make sure that they cover the law relevant to jury decisions. They help judges in performing their duties and enhance uniformity in judicial decision making. ![]() Bench books are manuals typically containing an overview of statutes, rules, cases, and relevant social-science research, often accompanied by expert commentary. Opinion: It is standard practice globally for judges to be provided with bench books on a host of topics relevant to their decision making. Amid criticism of our Family Court using outdated and discredited theories, Carrie Leonetti asks why they're not publicly-available. Justice Secret court manuals shroud justice in secrecyīench books are publicly-funded manuals that help judges make decisions.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |