August 21, 2010 -- A push by the American Bar Association - arising from their recent "Families Matter" symposium - seeks to collaboratively create an alternative system of conflict resolution for couples involved in custody disputes. Family law attorneys from around the nation gathered to flesh out a plan to revolutionize the process of resolving family law issues, particularly those relating to divorces, custody battles and relocations.
Why Is Change Needed?
At present, even relatively simple divorces or other family court matters can easily take a year to resolve and cost parties thousands of dollars in legal fees. Hotly disputed and contentious matters regularly take several years to settle and involve many trips to the courtroom. By the time any sense of closure is reached, court costs and legal expenses can be in the six-figure range. Lives can be turned completely upside-down - parties in these adversarial cases find every aspect of their home, personal and professional lives affected, leading to lost relationships, poor work performance and financial ruin.
More parenting coordinators needed
Between the symposium and a recently passed law allowing parent coordinators to aid parents in resolving disputes about a child's social well-being and upbringing (i.e., issues involving education, religious preference, extracurricular activities, accommodation of special needs and other similar matters), Florida is leading the way in creating a more progressive system of family dispute resolution. A parenting coordinator acts much like a mediator would, serving as a sounding board to helps parents hash out resolutions, making suggestions when the parties reach a standstill.
In the meantime, however, even though divorce rates are at their lowest in over 50 years, heated legal battles will continue. If you are considering divorce, seek the counsel of an experienced family law attorney in your area. Doing so will help you protect your rights and can drastically increase your chances of a successful resolution.
Information provided by The Lasky Law Firm
Comments
I think the divorce rate is down because parents KNOW the cost of batteling in court--financially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, etc. They stay together to avoid the courts.
I need help for a friend. The Arkansas Department of Human Services has decided to take custody of my friend's 13 month old son. Waylon was serverely premature, and his mother abandoned him. His father, Jack, has been there from day 1. After 13 months in the hospital he is finally going to be released in September. He will be on oxygen, a feeding tube, and about 13 different medications. He won't need a home health nurse. The DHS has decided that Jack cannot possibly provide him with the care he needs since he is a single, working father. He has done nothing wrong. He has not neglected or abused his son in any way. He has been there at the hospital every single day for over a year, except for the days that they refused to allow him to. DHS came into the picture only a couple months ago after finding out that the hospital could not make contact with Waylons's mother. They made Jack have a paternity test done and refused him access to his son while they waited for the results even though his name was on his birth certificate. Once his paternity was established he was allowed to see him again. All this knowing that Waylon isn't promised a tomorrow. Jack finally gets told that Waylon is going to be able to come home after all this time, only to be told that the state is taking him away. Since when is being a single father grounds for the state to take a child? The logic of the state is that he can't provide the care he needs alone. Jack needs help. He can't afford to pay an expensive lawyer, and doesn't know where to find help. If you could point us in the right direction, or put us in contact with media contacts that could get this story out. I can't see how this is constitutional or legal, or even morally right.
wow the Examiner has really lowered their quality standards with nonsensical buffoons like you!
Uh, the revolution *was* (to borrow an old book title by, IIRC, Garrett Garrett). The no-fault
divorce bills were modeled on the early Russian Soviet "postcard" divorce law.
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