A Day in Part 15: Law and Order in Family Court

Presently a supervising judge in Manhattan's Family Court, Ross, in 1991, was appointed to his first judgeship in the Bronx Family Court, known for its large volume of cases. It was his responsibility to render decisions that involved termination of parental rights, custody and the appropriate placement for children who had committed serious crimes. He recalls here a typical day in Part (Court) 15--the designation is fictitious--where he presided as judge and jury (family courts function without juries), hearing more than 50 cases a day. In numbing detail Ross recounts case after case of child neglect, abuse and incest where parents were drug addicted, violent or both. Ross is undoubtedly a hardworking official of conscience, but, he notes, his caseload sometimes prevented him from giving certain individuals the thoughtful consideration they deserved. Although the author's descriptions of the courtroom dramas are written clearly, the book would have benefited from an introductory chapter on the legal procedures involved. (June)