The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

In addition to presiding over child custody and child support matters for more than a decade in Wayne County Circuit Court in Michigan, Judge Richard B. Halloran serves as an advocate of a coordinated community response on issues regarding family violence. A member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), Judge Richard Halloran has served on the Domestic Violence Committee and the Indian Child Welfare Act Committee of that organization.

Pursuing justice represents an ongoing effort that must meet a society’s changing beliefs and knowledge base about what constitutes a just society. The NCJFCJ strives to protect the right to justice of every child and every family in the United States. Founded in 1937, the NCJFCJ began with the efforts of a group of judges who sought to achieve greater effectiveness in juvenile courts around the country. The founding group focused on such issues as adoption and foster care, child neglect and abuse, and family violence.

Over the decades, the NCJFCJ brought about changes in the legal system and in communities. The organization developed policies and training programs regarding the effects of domestic abuse across the lifespans of victims. The organization offers judicial education and maintains a library of educational resources.

AJA American Gavel Awards

Judge Richard B. Halloran attended the University of Detroit School of Law. He obtained his juris doctorate from the university while also working in the school’s clinical program. Before attending law school, Judge Richard Halloran studied psychology, philosophy, and religion at Canisius College. Upon graduation, he began his long and diverse legal career, including four elections to the Third Circuit Court of Detroit. Judge Richard Halloran is a member of the American Judges Association.

The history of the American Judges Association (AJA) can be traced back more than 50 years. Today, AJA has more than 3,000 members all over the world, including representatives from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Guam. This year the AJA will celebrate its fourth annual ceremony for the American Gavel Awards. Created in 2009, the ceremony hands out a number of awards to distinguished and accomplished members of the AJA.

The American Gavel Award for Distinguished Reporting about the Judiciary recognizes exceptional work in the field of judiciary journalism, highlighted by a high standard of reporting ethics and a dedication to educating the general public on matters of the legal system. Additional awards handed out by the AJA include the Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit and the Judge William H. Burnett Award, as well as the Judge Bob Jones Memorial Award, which recognizes extraordinary contributions to judicial education.

Why Would a Woman Stay in an Abusive Relationship?

Judge Richard Halloran serves as a Wayne County Circuit Court Judge in Michigan, where he deals primarily with family issues such as divorce, custody, and protection orders. An advocate for preventing domestic violence, Judge Richard B. Halloran is knowledgeable in the area of abuse and has previously contributed an article to The Michigan Chronicle on the reasons women might stay in an abusive relationship.

There are several reasons why a woman might be hesitant to leave an abusive relationship, and the reasons vary according to each unique woman. Staying with an abuser can be the result of simply being too embarrassed to admit the outcome of the relationship or trying to appease friends or family members who discourage leaving.

An abused woman might also feel obligated to stay in an abusive relationship if there are children involved or if her religious or cultural background discourages divorce. She might also lack money or a place to go upon leaving.

Finally, some women stay in an abusive relationship because they are unaware of what a healthy relationship looks like or do not realize just how bad their abuser treats them.

Awards Presented by the Association of Family and Conciliation Court

Judge Richard B. Halloran has served as a circuit court judge for 14 years. He has also worked as an attorney, an administrative law judge, and a district court judge. In addition, Judge Richard Halloran spent 4 years as a magistrate with the 36th District Court of Michigan. He is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).

The AFCC is a leading, international, interdisciplinary association of professionals who have dedicated their careers to helping families resolve turmoil and personal conflict. Legal professionals, researchers, analysts, and policymakers constitute the AFCC Membership Network. Together, they have helped the organization to change lives globally for more than 50 years.

Various members of the AFCC have been recognized for their service over the years. The organization is also known to hand out awards to exceptional members and to members of the larger community. One of these awards is known as the John E. VanDuzer Distinguished Service Award. It is presented in recognition of exceptional service by any member of the AFCC.

Another award, the Stanley Cohen Distinguished Research Award, was initiated to honor outstanding research involving the subjects of family and divorce, and is sponsored by the Oregon Family Institute. As for the Irwin Cantor Innovative Program Award, it recognizes innovation in court programs initiated by a member of the AFFC. Additional awards include the President’s Award and the Meyer Elkin Essay Award.

Humanity’s Team

Wayne County Circuit Judge Richard Halloran has served on the bench for more than 20 years, beginning as a Magistrate of the 36th District Court in Detroit, Michigan. In 1994, he became a District Judge in the same court. He was elected to the Wayne County Circuit Court in the late 1990s, where he has served for over 15 years. Judge Richard Halloran is a longtime member of several notable organizations, including the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union, Equality Michigan, and Humanity’s Team.

Humanity’s Team is an international organization with more than 100,000 members that is known globally as “a civil rights movement of the soul.” The organization was established in 2003 in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, with the objective of communicating the idea that “we are all one.” Humanity’s Team is a non-profit that works fostering local groups around the world that promote spiritual education, a focus on building peace and mindfulness in one’s inner self, and the idea that world peace begins at the person-to-person level.

Rural Grants for Michigan’s Domestic Abuse Resources

Judge Richard B. Halloran’s service as a judge spans more than two decades. He currently serves as a Michigan, Wayne County Circuit Judge, a position he has held since 1998. Judge Halloran is particularly committed to his work in the area of domestic violence. He served on the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board from 1998 to 2001.

The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDSVPTB) was created in 1978. It is a board of individuals, appointed by the governor, whose focus is the state’s work with regard to the issue of domestic violence. The MDSVPTB allocates numerous grants as part of its work. The Rural Grant Program works with federal funds to support counties with very limited domestic violence resources. This improves the quality of outreach, as well as the various programs’ ability to offer services. Rural grants specifically facilitate new strategies to address issues with transportation, child care, finances, and communication experienced by victims within rural communities.

Recent News from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Presented by Judge Richard Halloran

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) pools the resources of more than 30,000 judges, commissioners, referees, and other legal professionals to improve the state of the U.S. juvenile courts. In recent months, the NCJFCJ has initiated several new relationships, including a partnership with the judiciary in Morocco.

Just after the new year, representatives from the NCJFCJ traveled to the African nation, where they helped train its juvenile court judges with help from the U.S. Department of Justice. The team worked to bridge differences between U.S. and Moroccan law and spent three days discussing juvenile justice with between 40 and 50 Moroccan legal professionals. The meeting was forced to adjourn early when the Moroccan judges needed to return to their courtrooms, but the possibility of a return visit was discussed.

About Judge Richard Halloran:

During his more than two decades as a judge in Detroit, Michigan, Judge Richard B. Halloran worked with many groups dedicated to combatting domestic violence and improving the juvenile justice system. He has served on several NCJFCJ committees, including its Child Custody and Support Committee and its Domestic Violence Committee

Domestic Violence: How to Help a Woman in Need by Judge Richard Halloran

Every year in the United States, more than three million women are victims of domestic abuse. It can be difficult to approach a friend who you suspect is being physically or emotionally abused by her husband or partner, but it is an important step to take if you want to help this person. Whether a woman is a relative, a close friend, or just someone you casually know, you can find a way to approach her to offer help if you see the warning signs of domestic violence.

First, research local women’s shelters, social services, and counseling services in your area to find out about the level of assistance that is available. Talk and listen to your friend and encourage her to talk about her feelings. Give her the information she needs about where she can go for support and legal assistance. If she has been physically assaulted, go with her to be examined by a doctor and encourage her to contact the police to report the assault.

Above all, help your friend make a safe decision about whether to immediately leave her abusive husband or partner. If you suspect that leaving may put her in further jeopardy, do not encourage that. Instead, encourage her to talk to a counselor and a legal professional.

About the Author: Judge Richard B. Halloran actively supported the establishment of the 1994 laws for Personal Protection Orders (PPO) in Michigan. Between 1993 and 2000, Judge Halloran served as co-chair of the Wayne County Coordinating Council to Prevent Domestic Violence.

Recent Advocacy from the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan Presented by Judge Richard Halloran

The State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law Section offers a variety of resources to attorneys practicing family law in Michigan, including access to a LISTSERV, a journal subscription, mentor roundtables, and a members-only collaborative online resource. The section also stays active in legal advocacy. During the 2011 to 2012 legislative session, it took positions on 39 bills, including the Child Custody Act , The Parental Rights Restoration Act, and the Eligible Domestic Relations Order Act.

The section also took positions on bills relating to paternity, adoption, marriage license requirements, and required premarital education. Its position papers for each law can be viewed online at http://www.michbar.org/family/advocacy.cfm.

About Judge Richard Halloran:

A Wayne County Circuit Court Judge, and former administrative law judge, magistrate, attorney, and District Court Judge, Richard B. Halloran is a longtime member of the State Bar of Michigan. He has also served for several years on the Council of the Bar’s Family Law Section.

Judge Richard Halloran Helps Develop Solution Oriented Domestic Violence Prevention Court

In 2010, Judge Richard B. Halloran, a judicial professional working in the Family Division of the Wayne County Circuit Court, set out to recruit interns for the new Solution Oriented Domestic Violence Prevention Court (SODVPC). This legal institution, was made possible through a grant from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, totaling $300,000, and a court within the Family Division of the Wayne County, Third Circuit Court.

The SODVPC introduces victims of domestic abuse to a special judicial process. It not only helps victims get personal protection orders but promotes victim safety through the availability of resources and specific solutions linked to domestic violence behaviors. Further, the SODVPC seeks to create community partnerships to advance a comprehensive approach to preventing domestic violence and holding abusers accountable for their actions.

Playing an active role in the SODVPC, Judge Halloran also presided over the separate Personal Protection Order docket for four years. In the past, he testified in front of the Michigan State Legislature to encourage the passage of laws criminalizing stalking and domestic abuse. He has coauthored literature on the matter of stalking in the Journal of Family Violence.