ABSTRACT
Why should family courts be of the remotest interest to those working in the field of mental health? Are they not the product of an arcane legal system that is far removed from the realities of family life? Do they not come on the scene too late to be helpful for those in trouble, sometimes making a bad situation worse? Is there any reason to believe that family courts are motivated to respond more closely to the needs of family members? And do those working in mental health services have anything to say that would improve the way family courts operate?
