January 2021
| Date | 01 January 2021 |
| Published date | 01 January 2021 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12547 |
| Author | Marsha Kline Pruett,Barbara A. Babb |
EDITORIAL NOTE
JANUARY 2021
This time in our history is unprecedented. From COVID-19, to the uptick of the Black Lives
Matter Movement, to a jaw dropping presidential election, we all face issues that create a new nor-
mal to which we must adapt. In family law, too, we are learning about the new normal that has
slipped quietly into society and has evolved to a point where we cannot - and should not - overlook
or ignore it.
The January issue of Family Court Review represents a move away from the center of family law
toward edges that quickly have evolved to become more familiar in legal and psychological prac-
tice. The Special Issue on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), guest edited by Gary Debele
and Stephen Page, advances us forward as both a journal and a society. We recognize that what
once was considered “boutique”practice now has entered the lives of so many families. Under-
standing the law as well as the biological and psychological processes connected to ART is a man-
date to anyone embracing the complexity and diversity of modern families. The guest editors have
compiled a stellar collection of authors and articles, which they introduce in their first piece, to
bring us all up to speed. They have taken the care to acquaint us first to the myriad issues via an
article that explains the terminology and history of ART. They then focus on specific topics, such
as embryo storage and use, donor anonymity, and international practices and policies, as well as
issues relevant to the well-being and rights of ART clients and their children. This is an area in
which the law has not kept up with scientific and societal changes, and much work is needed to
catch up.
In addition to the special issue, in a singular article, Karen Oehme, Kelly O’Rourke, and Lyndi
Bradley describe and research online virtual super vised visitation during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Their piece describes how visitation programs in Florida have transitioned from in-person visits to
virtual, online visits. A survey and interviews with 26 programs reveal how the programs have
planned for the change, the reactions of parents and children, and the salient challenges and benefits
they have discovered. Overall, about two thirds of the program directors believe that virtual visits
may become a permanent part of the services offered by the program, testifying to its utility beyond
the immediate pandemic.
In the following article, Tali Gal targets the expanding role for child-inclusive restorative justice
in family law settings. In restorative justice (RJ) processes, the victim, the offender, and/or any other
individuals or community members affected by an action participate together in the resolution of
matters arising from the activity, often with the help of a third party. RJ thus offers a non-
criminalizing way to address behaviors that have resulted in interpersonal harms emphasizing
accountability by the perpetrator. The author examines empirical knowledge about the field to date,
what children want in the process, and what works according to research about helping children
overcome trauma and a sense of harm associated with their victimization. The focus on young chil-
dren is especially novel. The author integrates empirical and experiential knowledge to suggest a set
of standards to develop child-inclusive RJ programs across individual and systems levels.
FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Vol. 59 No. 1, January 2021 5–6, doi: 10.1111/fcre.12547
© 2021 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
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