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Domestic Violence
Dockets to Expand to Three New Court Sites
Plans are underway to expand
Connecticut’s domestic violence docket to new locations in the
New Britain, New London and Stamford-Norwalk judicial districts,
the result of a joint initiative supported by the state Judicial
Branch, the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Connecticut
Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The domestic violence dockets
will be located in courthouses in New Britain, New London and
Norwalk. Domestic violence dockets already are in place in
courthouses in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford and
Waterbury.
“Domestic violence cases are
among the most serious our courts handle,” Chief Court
Administrator William J. Lavery said. “We know from past
experience that these domestic violence dockets are a very
effective tool, and we look forward to expanding the program.”
Judge Lavery also praised the
collaborative nature of the project. “To achieve success, you
need cooperation, and that has been the hallmark of this effort
so far,” he said. “All of the agencies involved have devoted
considerable time and talent to this endeavor, and the residents
of the state of Connecticut will be the ultimate benefactors.”
Chief State’s Attorney
Christopher L. Morano called the “aggressive investigation and
prosecution of domestic violence matters one of the top
priorities of the Division of Criminal Justice. The creation of
these new dockets and the expansion of existing programs will
greatly enhance our ability to effectively address this issue.
We must do all we can to break the cycle of violence, as history
tells us that the children who witness domestic violence today
may be the likely perpetrators of the crime tomorrow.”
He added: “I would like to thank
the Judicial Branch for expanding its role in this critical
area, despite the already tremendous demands placed on its
limited resources.”
“The Connecticut Coalition
Against Domestic Violence Inc. is proud to partner with the
Judicial Branch and the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office in the
creation of three new domestic violence dockets,” Lisa Holden,
executive director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, said. “These specialized courts offer enhanced victim
safety while holding offenders accountable. Family violence
victim advocates who are involved with these dockets will work
closely with victims to relay their concerns to the court,
develop safety plans and uphold the victims’ rights to obtain
helpful information about the progress of the case.”
The goals of increasing victim
safety and offender accountability are achieved through
“vertical case management,” which seeks to enhance effectiveness
through a coordination of resources and a team approach to each
case. That team includes law enforcement, prosecutors, family
relations counselors, probation officers and family violence
victim advocates. Team members monitor a case from start to
finish and hold weekly meetings to share information about the
case. In addition, a judge monitors the case through court
appearances and conferences in chambers.
Officials hope to have the new
domestic violence dockets up and running as soon as possible,
according to Joseph D. D’Alesio, executive director of the
Judicial Branch’s Superior Court Operations Division.
“There is no set time line for an
official launch, but we intend to move on this as quickly as we
can,” D’Alesio said. “Every court location has different needs
and considerations, and the logistics are substantial. The
important thing is to make sure we have all of the pieces in
place before the program starts.”
Bridgeport was Connecticut’s
first domestic violence docket, starting in 1996 under the
leadership of Superior Court Judge Lawrence Hauser, who has
since been nationally recognized for his efforts to reduce
domestic violence. “Judge Hauser has set the gold standard for
successful domestic violence dockets,” Judge Lavery said.
Judge Lavery also praised
recently retired Chief Court Administrator Joseph H. Pellegrino
for setting in motion the plan to implement the newest domestic
violence dockets.
Judicial officials chose the
three newest sites based on recommendations from the Connecticut
Domestic Violence Docket Planning Committee, which Judge
Pellegrino formed to coordinate statewide efforts to address
domestic violence cases. The committee based its recommendations
on various factors, including staffing and facilities. Committee
members include representatives from the Judicial Branch, the
Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, the Connecticut Coalition
Against Domestic Violence, the state Office of Policy and
Management and the Connecticut Chiefs of Police.
Contacts for
further information are as follows:
- Judicial Branch: Rhonda
Stearley-Hebert, manager of communications, at 860-757-2270
- Office of the Chief State’s
Attorney: Mark Dupuis, communications officer, at 860-258-5997
- Connecticut Coalition Against
Domestic Violence: Executive Director Lisa Holden at
860-282-7899.
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