Family Courts should be Renamed as Family Resolution Centers, CJI Surya Kant

In a significant push towards a more humane justice system, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has proposed doing away with black robes in Family Courts and renaming them as “Family Resolution Centres,” emphasising that the current courtroom atmosphere may intimidate children and undermine the very purpose of such forums.

The suggestion came during the foundation stone laying ceremony of a new Family Court complex in Rohini, Delhi, where the CJI emphasised the unique nature of family disputes, marked not merely by legal questions but by emotional, social, and financial complexities. Highlighting that Family Courts are meant to mend relationships rather than deepen adversarial divides, he flagged concerns that conventional courtroom practices, including formal attire, may alienate vulnerable participants, particularly children. 3The discussion also drew attention to broader systemic concerns, including rising pendency, infrastructural gaps, and increasing pressure on judges, with several members of the judiciary calling for structural reforms to ensure effective and sensitive dispute resolution.

The CJI questioned the necessity of traditional courtroom symbols in sensitive proceedings, observing, “Should the family courts have these black robes? Is it not going to create fear in the mind of the child?” He noted that such practices contribute to a “fear psychosis,” especially among children, and stressed that Family Courts must evolve into spaces that foster comfort and reconciliation. He further proposed that rebranding these forums as “Family Resolution Centres” would better reflect their conciliatory role.

While no formal directive was issued, the remarks signal a strong institutional push towards reforming both the perception and functioning of family justice mechanisms.

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