Family courts
Topic: Justice Delivery: Subordinate Courts, Tribunals, Legal Aid and Judicial Reforms · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Family courts are special courts set up under the Family Courts Act 1984. They decide family disputes such as divorce, child custody and maintenance. A family court must be set up in every city with more than 10 lakh people. These courts first try conciliation, which means helping the family members reach an agreement. Lawyers cannot appear as of right. This keeps the process less formal and less hostile.
Example
A couple in a big city want a divorce and disagree over who will keep their child. The family court first tries to help them settle. If they cannot agree, the court decides the case.
Don't confuse with
- Lok Adalat: a Lok Adalat settles many kinds of disputes only by compromise, and there is no appeal from its award. A family court is a regular court that decides the case if talks fail.
Related concepts
- Lok Adalat
- National Lok Adalat
- Permanent Lok Adalat
- Gram Nyayalaya
- Nyaya panchayat
- Fast-track courts