Custody and visitation arrangements; best interests of the child, family history of abuse.

Custody and visitation arrangements; best interestsof the child; expert testimony; history of abuse. Requires acourt to consider any history of family abuse, sexual abuse, childabuse, or an act of violence, force, or threat in determining bestinterests of a child for purposes of determining custody or visitationarrangements. Under current law, only such history that occurredno earlier than 10 years prior to the filing of a custody or visitationpetition is required to be considered. The bill also requires thatany expert evidence from a court-appointed or outside professionalrelating to any alleged abuse of a child subject to such petitionshall only be admitted if such professional possesses demonstratedexpertise and clinical experience in working with victims of thetype of such abuse alleged that is not solely of a forensic nature.The bill further directs the Office of the Executive Secretary ofthe Supreme Court of Virginia to provide mandatory judicial trainingon trauma-informed practices in proceedings involving domestic violenceto magistrates and judges of the juvenile domestic relations districtcourts, general district courts, circuit courts, and the Court ofAppeals of Virginia, the justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia,and court personnel.