Politics & Government
Measure Would Put Child Custody Battles in the Hands of Juries
An initiative giving people in custody disputes the right to go before a jury rather than a judge has been approved for signature gathering.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Backers of an initiative that would would give parties in child custody cases the right to demand that a jury, rather than judge, determine who receives the physical and legal custody of the child may begin gathering signatures, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced today.
The initiative's supporters must submit petitions with valid signatures from 365,880 registered voters -- 5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2014 general election -- by Dec. 13 to qualify for the November 2018 ballot, according to Padilla.
The net fiscal impact on state courts of passage of initiative would depend significantly on how the measure is interpreted and implemented by the courts and how individuals respond to the ability to demand a jury trial in child custody cases, according to an analysis conducted by the Legislative Analyst's Office and Department of Finance.
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