§ 1045 Definition of "dispositional hearing"

A dispositional hearing is a court hearing that happens after a family court case has already been decided in terms of what happened. At this hearing, the judge decides what should happen next. This means deciding what kind of order the court will put in place to handle the situation going forward.

Think of it as the "now what" part of the case. The facts have already been sorted out, and this hearing is about the plan moving forward. This might involve decisions about custody, supervision, treatment, placement, or other steps the court thinks are needed to protect a child or resolve the family's situation.

If you are involved in a family court case, this hearing is where you will find out what the judge is actually going to order. It is a key moment because it sets the terms that you and your family will need to follow.