Family Court Review Call for Papers

From friend of the blog, Alexandra Crampton, a notice that the Family Court Review is doing a special issue on Covid-19.

Family Law Disruption and Response during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Viral Lessons for Research, Policy, and Practice

Family law systems were already overwhelmed when the Covid-19 pandemic erupted. Through varied policy and public health responses, the family law system, alongside families served, have had to adjust to emergency orders not only in response to health but also economic disruption. This has brought risk and opportunity as professionals adjust services, address new sources of parental conflict over interplays of work, children, and quarantine, and are forced to experiment in real time without past precedent as a guide.

In this issue, we take stock of lessons learned in what can be done in a crisis, how to best help “pivot” when traditional, “analog” service delivery is interrupted, what necessary innovations might come new best practices, and what experiments failed. We also want to better understand the needs and perspectives of parents as they variably accessed (and demanded) family court and other services.

The following topics are suggestions for submission.

· How family courts and/or professionals have “pivoted” in their work. For example, what has been the impact of virtual court investigations and hearings on gathering evidence, ensuring procedural justice and/or ensuring trust in the legal system?

· What new challenges have arisen in family law cases filed due to Covid-19? For example, what health risks have been raised in the course of co-parenting, and what standards have been used to evaluate child abuse and neglect? How is family reunification impacted through social distancing policies?

· How have families adjusted (well and not so well in effect), and created their “new normal” in balancing work, family, and schooling. For example, what has been the impact of virtual visits on parent-child relationships?

· How has child support been impacted by economic recession and widespread layoffs?

To submit a paper proposal, please email a 250-500-word abstract with the subject heading FCR Special Covid-19 Issue. Submit your abstract by email to Associate Professor, Alexandra Crampton; alexandra.crampton@marquette.edu by September 28th 2020.

We will notify presenters about selected papers by late October. Working drafts of papers will be due no later than April, 2021, and final papers will be due by October 2021.

We look forward to your submissions. If you have further questions, please contact the guest editors:

Alexandra Crampton; alexandra.crampton@marquette.edu.

Amy G. Applegate: aga@indiana.edu

Barbara Glesner Fines: glesnerb@umkc.edu

One thought on “Family Court Review Call for Papers”

  1. The area of family law is especially intriguing to me in regards to the pandemic and how it is being handled. I worked in family law for a year prior to starting law school, and in my experience it can be one of the most emotional areas of law, especially dealing with a divorce or custody battle. I wish I was still working in the area to see how clients are dealing with the emotions while being virtual.
    Also, I would like to see how recently separated families are handling the pandemic, as it is a collusion of negatives hitting at once. Not only may parents be getting divorced or custody schedules are changing, but also school has not been consistent and kids are not hanging out with friends as much. Although the dockets for family law cases are never short, it seems like this may be the area of law that is most in need of getting back to normal.

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