Family court
The part of the court system that handles matters such as divorce, parenting responsibilities or custody, parenting time, child support, protection orders, and—in some court divisions—child protection.
No legal background required
The words should not be another barrier.
Family court uses specialized language. Research and technology add more. This guide explains the terms FJP uses without changing their legal meaning.
How to use this guide
You do not need to memorize these words. Follow a dotted-underlined term anywhere on the site to reach its explanation here. Then use your browser’s Back button to return to what you were reading.
Court and legal terms
What the process is doing
Jurisdiction
The court system and body of law that have authority over a case. Rules differ by state and sometimes by county, so a result from one place may not transfer to another.
Due process
Basic legal fairness. A person must receive meaningful notice, a real chance to be heard, and a fair procedure before the government takes away an important right or liberty.
Burden of proof
How certain a court must be before deciding that a fact has been proved. “Preponderance” generally means more likely than not. “Clear and convincing” requires a firmer level of certainty.
Controlling authority
A law or higher-court decision that a court must follow. A case can be important or persuasive without controlling every court in the country.
Neutral professional
A court-appointed evaluator, mediator, child representative, or other professional who has a defined role but is not the attorney for either parent. “Neutral” describes the assignment; it does not mean the person is incapable of bias or error.
Temporary or provisional order
A court direction meant to govern the family while the case is still developing. Because these arrangements can last a long time, FJP proposes clear reasons and review dates.
Continuance
A postponement of a scheduled hearing or court event.
Docket
The court’s official list of case events and filings. A docket entry may show that something happened, but usually does not contain enough detail to prove why it happened.
Appeal
A request for a higher court to review whether the lower court made a legal error. An appeal is not usually a complete new trial.
Civil contempt
A court finding that someone failed to obey an order. It can sometimes lead to fines or confinement, but the court must follow required safeguards.
Re-litigation or reopening
Returning to court after an earlier order or case closure. This can signal unresolved conflict, but it can also be necessary when circumstances change or safety concerns arise.
Evidence terms
What is known—and how firmly
Evidence provenance
Where information came from, who recorded it, when it was created, and how it changed. In plain language: the evidence has a visible history.
Corroborated
Supported by another reliable source or piece of evidence. A claim can remain unproven without being false; lack of corroboration may have many explanations.
Inference
A conclusion drawn from known facts rather than a fact observed directly. Good reasoning makes the inferential step visible and considers other possible explanations.
Counterfactual
A careful “what might have happened if…” analysis. Here, it means asking whether an FJP safeguard could have changed the process—not claiming it would certainly have prevented an outcome.
Lawfare / misuse of legal process
A claim that someone is using legal procedure mainly to pressure, punish, exhaust, or control another person rather than to resolve a genuine legal need. The label is not proof. FJP looks for observable conduct, necessity, cost, timing, repetition, and the available explanation.
Coercive control
A pattern of behavior used to dominate or frighten another person, including isolation, monitoring, threats, financial control, stalking, or manipulation. A pattern can be dangerous even when each act looks minor by itself.
Evidence Ledger
FJP’s proposed structured record for important claims. It would show the source, supporting and conflicting evidence, current status, uncertainty, who may see it, and any corrections.
Research and measurement terms
How to read the numbers
Clearance rate
The number of cases closed during a period divided by the number added or reactivated. Below 100% means the open caseload probably grew. It does not explain why or show whether decisions were good.
Meta-analysis
A study that combines results from many earlier studies to look for an overall pattern. Its strength still depends on the quality and similarity of the studies included.
Observational research
Research that observes what happened without randomly assigning people to different conditions. It can show that things are related, but usually cannot prove that one caused the other.
Pilot
A small, controlled real-world test conducted before broad adoption. A responsible pilot defines measures, protections, and reasons to stop in advance.
Pre-register
Publicly record the research questions, measurements, and analysis plan before seeing the results. This makes it harder to change the test merely to produce a preferred answer.
De-identified data
Information altered to remove direct identifiers such as names. De-identification reduces privacy risk but does not always eliminate the possibility that someone could be recognized.
Technology terms
Tools, not verdicts
Audit trail
A history showing who viewed, added, or changed information and when. It helps investigators reconstruct what happened.
Tamper-evident
Designed so that an unauthorized or hidden change leaves evidence. This does not mean the original information was true; it means later alterations are harder to conceal.
Blockchain
A shared record maintained across multiple computers. FJP does not assume blockchain is needed. An ordinary secure database may offer better privacy and easier correction.
Threat model
A structured look at what must be protected, who or what could cause harm, how that harm might occur, and which safeguards are proportionate.