WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Pace Law School’s Women's Justice Center presents Creative Courts – Creative Responses:  A Pace Law School Women’s Justice Center Think Tank on Domestic Violence Integrated Courts on November 2, 2001.  The think tank will examine legal issues that arise with the development of integrated domestic violence courts. 

A prominent group of academics and attorneys in the field of domestic violence will be present at the think tank.  Industry experts present papers for the group to critique and discuss.  The theme of this think tank resonates with special significance in light of Chief Judge Judith Kay's directive to combine several criminal and civil domestic violence courts across the state.   Under New York law, litigants presently must appear in family court, criminal court and Supreme Court to address family violence cases in their entirety.  Under Judge Kay's plan, litigants would appear before one judge who would hear all aspects of their case from petitions for orders of protection and custody to criminal trials.  New York represents the largest jurisdiction to attempt such a restructuring of its court system.  Pace Law School, the Women’s Research and Education Fund, and the Office jointly sponsor the think tank for Women.

The Pace Women’s Justice Center is dedicated to eradicating domestic violence and furthering the legal rights of women.  The Center involves Pace Law students in a number of its activities, including: the Family Court Externship Program, through which law students provide counseling and direct representation to over nine hundred victims of domestic violence annually; Family Law training programs, through which law students assist in the preparation and presentation of training programs and seminars for thousands of attorneys, judges and community members on emerging issues in the law; and Support programs though which supervised students assist in providing legal education, information, support, and resource referrals to area residents via a telephone help-line.  The Center also provides round the clock legal service to many victims of domestic violence. 

Founded in 1976, Pace Law School is located in White Plains, N.Y., 20 miles north of New York City. The School offers the J.D. program for full-time, and part-time day and evening students. Its post-graduate program includes the LL.M. and S.J.D. degrees in environmental Law and the LL.M. in Comparative Legal Studies. Pace has one of the nation's top-rated environmental law programs and its Clinical Education Program also is nationally ranked, offering clinics in domestic violence prosecution, securities arbitration.