Introduction:

The Family Court Act, which was enacted in 1984 is a procedural statute which carves out a separate innovative adjudication fora for family disputes. The act shifts matrimonial litigation from the district courts and maintenance litigation (under Chapter IX of Criminal Procedure Code) from the magistrates courts to the family courts. These courts are in keeping with the judicial trend of setting up legal institutions which are more accessible to the common people. The issues concerning labour, industrial disputes, juvenile delinquents, motor accidents, consumers etc. have been brought out of the purview of regular courts / tribunals with specialization on a particular theme. The setting up of family courts needs to be viewed within the same context of de-formalization of legal structures.