Family Court

By Eris Wagner

Judge Buffington Addresses Family Court Issue

"I worked to establish and elevate the Humboldt County Family Court because the most recent studies by the United States Commission on Child and Family Welfare, the National Center for State Courts, the American Bar Association, and the California Administrative Office of the Courts indicate that families and children deserve to be served by courts staffed by bench officers and support staff with long experience and specialized training in the law surrounding the issues litigated in divorce and juvenile cases."

"If our family court is to be a family friendly place it is crucial that the judge of this court be a person who has long experience and training in the law surrounding family law issues."

"The Family Court is the court where the largest numbers of the public come into contact with our legal system; increasingly the parties to such cases are attempting to litigate many issues without attorneys. It is extremely important to see that all cases are handled by a judge who is familiar with the facts and the law; that need is more crucial when the litigants have no attorney."

"If Humboldt County is to maintain its position as a leader and innovator in the area of Family Court processes and procedures; if Humboldt County is to continue to deliver the most efficient and careful decisions in family law cases it is imperative that the judge in Department Two have long and broad experience in the area of family law."

The Honorable John E. Buffington, Judge of the Humboldt County Superior Court