When a child has been delinquent, abused, or neglected, the family court judge decides how to help or protect that child. These usually involve child support, custody arrangements, or visitation (called parent–child contact). Many people come to the family division to change previous court orders. Child support and custody are also decided here. Decisions about divorce, separation, civil union dissolution, and parentage are decided in the family division. Assistant judges may also sit with the presiding judge in select cases, such as divorces.Įach family division manages all family-related legal matters. Instead, the presiding judge or magistrate makes the decision. There are no jury trials in family court. The family division is also called family court. Every Vermont county has a courthouse with a family division.