This paper examines specialist family violence courts, discussing overseas developments and various Australian innovations.

Several jurisdictions have recognised that family violence is an issue that needs to be addressed by the court system in a direct and particular way. Different models of specialised family violence courts have been established for this purpose, in Australia and internationally. Many of these specialist courts have produced positive results, in terms of reduced offending rates and/or increased rates of conviction. In some cases, however, the results have been mixed. Overall the research suggests that no one single solution is likely to answer all the difficult issues raised by family violence.