{Charleston, West Virginia}...Friday, Supreme Court Justice Robin Jean Davis launched a domestic violence pilot program in the Kanawha County court system that will change the way cases are handled. Under the four-year pilot program, all domestic violence cases will be handled by Family Court Judge Mike Kelly and consolidate the civil and criminal aspects of the case. In the past, 10 magistrates and five family court judges handled the cases, which split the issues between courts. The goal of the program is to hold domestic violence offenders more accountable, focus on early intervention, and work more closely with agencies that help victims. The Supreme Court chose to establish the program in Kanawha County because it handles the largest volume of domestic violence cases each year.
