In informal proceedings and surroundings, the parent would on each occasion see the same judge and be tested for substance use. A recent analysis of FDAC cases involving 754 children found that 40% had returned home at the end of the process, compared to 22% in conventional family court cases. Crichton would point out in frustration that the annual cost to the taxpayer of a single specialist court was the same as that of just one dysfunctional family. For all his influence, Crichton never held one of the higher judicial offices. • Nicholas Crichton, family judge, born 23 October 1943; died 17 December 2018

Source: The Guardian December 21, 2018 16:17 UTC