2026 Judicial Education Course Catalog

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Civil & Criminal Contempt in the Family Law Case 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Contempt is a powerful remedy to address violations of the court’s order in a family law case. But is contempt always the most effective remedy? Are there other effective remedies available? In enforcing a child support order, contempt may be effective to ensure payment of child support. But what does a court do when the payor has involuntarily lost his or her job or suffers from some sort of temporary disability? In the context of child access, how does a court enforce its order when a parent willfully violates an existing order or when children are resistant to the non-custodial parent. This course will explore the effective use of contempt in a family law case. Our seasoned members of the bench, with the assistance of the attendees, will evaluate appropriate valid sanctions and purge provisions in various family law situations (access, child support, etc.). Our panel will also identify potential remedies, other than contempt, to ensure compliance with a court order in a family law case. Coordinator: Vincent Wills, Esq. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Custody Toolbox D I & 9 a.m. – Noon Developing a robust custody order is one of the most difficult challenges we have, especially in hotly contested cases and when protective orders have been sought and entered or denied. We will explore resources that may be available to judges to rely upon but the workshop will be mainly directed toward evaluating evidence and testimony, when such “external” resources may be unavailable. Coordinator: Hon. Lynne Battaglia (Sr.)

Privilege & Confidentiality in Custody & Divorce D I & 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

HIPAA is a crucial tool in custody litigation to ensure that a child’s privacy interest in their medical records is protected. The waiver or not of HIPAA protections by a child’s representative may be pivotal in the resolution of custody litigation. This course will encompass an exploration of the HIPAA Statute and provide an understanding of how waiver is determined and the role of judges in that determination. Coordinator: Hon. Lynne Battaglia (Sr.)

LUNCHTIME

FEBRUARY 20 with Mag. Sarah Malik

Nuts & Bolts of Exceptions Review

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Family Law for District Court Judges 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. As a District Court judge, have you found yourself navigating into family law waters without a life jacket? Through an abbreviated version of the Family Law University, this full-day course will provide guidance to District Court judges as we delve into basic tenets of family law as it presents in district court protective order hearings. Faculty will cover many of the more nuanced issues around child custody determinations, financial status and assets of parties in considerations of emergency family maintenance, and use and possession of property as forms of relief in protective order proceedings. Coordinator: Hon. Ada Clark-Edwards

2026 Judicial Education Course Catalog

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