,,iii  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #gb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate  
,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #bf1 
#bjah,receiv$  ,,concurr5t ,,resolution 
,express+ ! s5se ( ,congress t *ild     
safety is ! fir/ priority ( cu/ody &    
visitation adjudications1 & t ,/ate     
c\rts %\ld improve adjudications (      
cu/ody :]e family viol5ce is alleg$4    
,:]eas approximately #ae million *ildr5 
are expos$ ea* ye> to dome/ic viol5ce   
&_/or *ild abuse1 :i* are (t5 l9k$2     
,:]eas *ild sexual abuse is             
significantly "u-docum5t$1 & "u-address$
 9 ! legal sy/em2 ,:]eas *ild abuse is a
 major public heal? issue 9 ! ,unit$    
,/ates1 ) total lifetime e/imat$        
f9ancial co/s associat$ ) j "o ye> (    
confirm$ cases ( *ild maltreatm5t       
7includ+ physical abuse1 sexual abuse1  
psy*ological abuse & neglect7 am\nt+ to 
approximately #abd billion2 ,:]eas      
accord+ to ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control 
& ,prev5tion1 f$]ally laun*$1 fund$ &   
track$ longitud9al rese>* into adv]se   

*ildhood exp]i5ces 7! ,a,c,es /udy7 has 
%[n t *ildr5 :o exp]i5ce abuse & neglect
 are also at increas$ risk = adv]se     
heal? effects & c]ta9 *ronic diseases z 
adults1 includ+ he>t disease1 canc]1    
*ronic lung disease1 liv] disease1      
obesity1 high blood pressure1 high      
*ole/]ol1 & high levels ( ,c-reactive   
prote92 ,:]eas rese>* confirms t        
allegations ( dome/ic viol5ce1 *ild     
abuse1 & *ild sexual abuse are (t5      
disc\nt$ :5 rais$ 9 *ild cu/ody         
litigation2 ,:]eas rese>* %[s t abusive 
p>5ts are (t5 grant$ cu/ody or          
unprotect$ p>5t+ "t by c\rts1 plac+     
*ildr5 at ongo+ risk2 ,:]eas rese>*     
confirms t a *ild's risk ( abuse        
increases aft] a p]petrator ( dome/ic   
viol5ce sep>ates f a dome/ic p>tn]1 ev5 
:5 ! p]petrator has n previ\sly abus$ ! 
*ild2 ,:]eas rese>*]s h docum5t$ a      
m9imum ( #fec *ildr5 murd]$ 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates s9ce #bjjh by a p>5t involv$ 9 a 
divorce1 sep>ation1 cu/ody1 visitation1 
or *ild support proce$+1 (t5 aft] access

 0 provid$ by family c\rts ov] !        
objections ( a protective p>5t2 ,:]eas  
sci5tifically uns\nd !ories are         
frequ5tly appli$ to reject p>5ts' &     
*ildr5's reports ( abuse2 ,:]eas 9 cases
 involv+ allegations ( family viol5ce   
c\rts %\ld rely on ! assi/ance (        
?ird-p>ty pr(essionals only :5 !y       
possess ! prop] exp]i5ce or exp]tise =  
assess+ family viol5ce & trauma1 & apply
 sci5tifically s\nd & evid5ce-bas$      
!ories2 ,:]eas mo/ ,/ates lack /&>ds    
def9+ requir$ exp]tise & exp]i5ce =     
c\rt-affiliat$ or appo9t$ fee-paid      
pr(essionals 9 cu/ody litigation or !   
requir$ cont5ts ( cu/ody-relat$ exp]t   
reports2 & ,:]eas cu/ody litigation     
involv+ abuse allegations is sometimes  
prohibitively exp5sive1 result+ 9 p>5tal
 bankruptcy1 z a result ( c\rt-m&at$    
paym5ts to appo9t$ fee-paid             
pr(essionals1 9 addition to attorneys'  
fees3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t x is ! s5se (
 ,congress t-- 7#a7 *ild safety is !    
fir/ priority ( cu/ody & p>5t+          

adjudications1 & c\rts %\ld resolve     
safety risks & claims ( family viol5ce  
fir/1 z a fundam5tal consid]ation1 be=e 
assess+ o!r be/ int]e/ factors2  7#b7   
all evid5ce admitt$ 9 cu/ody & p>5t+    
adjudications %\ld be subject to        
evid5ti>y admissibility /&>ds2  7#c7    
evid5ce f c\rt-affiliat$ or appo9t$     
fee-paid pr(essionals reg>d+ adult or   
*ild abuse allegations 9 cu/ody cases   
%\ld be admitt$ only :5 ! pr(essional   
possesses docum5t$ exp]tise & exp]i5ce 9
 ! relevant types ( abuse1 trauma1 & !  
behaviors ( victims & p]petrators2  7#d7
 ,/ates %\ld def9e requir$ /&>ds (      
exp]tise & exp]i5ce = appo9t$ fee-paid  
pr(essionals :o provide evid5ce to !    
c\rt on abuse1 trauma & behaviors (     
victims & p]petrators1 %\ld specify     
requirem5ts = ! cont5ts ( su*           
pr(essional reports1 & %\ld require     
c\rts to f9d t any appo9t$ pr(essionals 
meet ^? /&>ds2  7#e7 ,/ates %\ld consid]
 models "u :i* c\rt-appo9t$ pr(essionals
 are paid directly by ! c\rts1 )        

pot5tial reimbursem5t by ! p>ties aft]  
due consid]ation ( ! p>ties' f9ancial   
circum/ances2 &  7#f7 ,congress %\ld    
s*$ule he>+s on family c\rts' practices 
) reg>d to ! objective1 fair1 & unbias$ 
adjudication ( *ildr5's safety & civil  
rights4  ,pass$ ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives ,septemb] #be1          
#bjah4,k>5 ,l4 ,haas1,cl]k4