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Confidentiality of Family Court Comes Up Before Delaware Legislative Committee

courts.delaware.gov

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware's new chief justice is urging caution for lawmakers as they consider whether to open certain Family Court proceedings to the public.

Leo Strine Jr. was asked about an ongoing Family Court reform initiative Monday during a presentation by the judiciary to legislative budget writers.

Strine said the idea of opening Family Court proceedings regarding sensitive issues such as child custody makes him "really uncomfortable."

He also took the opportunity to defend a state law that allows secret arbitration to be overseen by Chancery Court judges in certain business disputes.

A federal appeals court panel has upheld a decision declaring the secret arbitration law unconstitutional, but attorneys for the state are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to accept an appeal of that decision.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.