By National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

The purpose of this checklist is to assist dependency court judges in identifying factors that should be considered when making reasonable efforts determinations in cases involving domestic violence. The checklist is divided into five sections. Section One discusses why judges need to understand domestic violence when handling dependency cases. Section Two examines the family context of these cases. This section includes information on how domestic violence affects parenting, and the interrelationships between domestic violence and mental health and substance abuse. Section Three lays out the legal framework for making reasonable efforts findings. Section Four describes the types of reasonable efforts that should be made in dependency cases involving domestic violence. And Section Five provides suggestions to help judges improve the availability and quality of services for families experiencing domestic violence in their communities. Finally, the publication includes easy reference bench cards for judges to consult when hearing dependency cases involving domestic violence.