Private Courtroom
Boyd Collar Nolen Tuggle & Roddenbery is a pioneer in the use of private courtrooms to resolve civil disputes and family matters. The private courtroom has all the benefits of a fair and formal judicial process without airing a dispute in public.
Unlike a public trial, proceedings take place behind closed doors and don’t necessarily leave a public record. Participants also have greater control over the selection of the individual or individuals who will decide their dispute. At the beginning of the process, both parties agree to abide by the decision, which is formalized with the filing of a consent judgment that reflects the decision or a contract between the parties. Usually, the parties agree upfront that the decision cannot be appealed or further litigated. Testimony, documents and, under some circumstances, even the judgment can remain confidential. There are other cases in which the parties reserve their right to appeal. In those cases, orders and other pleadings are entered on the public record; however, the hearing itself is closed to the public.
For family law matters, the private courtroom keeps sensitive testimony about the couple out of the public record and protects children from the potential consequences of public disclosure of the family’s problems. It also allows quick resolution of matters that might take months or even years in the crowded public courts, thus allowing families to resolve thorny personal issues and move on to their next chapters.