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Divorce, Custody, Support 2 |
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Child Custody Evaluators – Wide Power and Little Scrutiny (Available to read online at no charge until May 30) This lengthy article examines the position of the court-appointed forensic evaluator, the need for standards for such evaluators, and mechanisms to file grievances against them. The debate about custody evaluators is going on country-wide. An evaluation may cost as much as $40,000 or more and the parents pay for it. ++++++++++ Collaborative Divorce This article from the New York Times ( May 20, 2004 – which means you can only read it for free until May 28) looks at divorce when the processes of collaboration are applied. Collaborative divorce is now available in 35 states and much of Canada . The method resembles mediation in its problem-solving approach, but instead of a neutral mediator, each party brings a lawyer to the sessions. The cornerstone of the process is that the two lawyers sign a pledge to withdraw from the case if either of their clients decides to go to court. ++++++++++ Potential New Forensic Tool: Brain Fingerprinting Brain Fingerprinting is based on a sub-set of brain waves that register as brief electrical patterns when a person recognizes familiar stimuli measured by a computer. In other words, it is technology to determine scientifically whether or not specific information is stored a person’s brain. It provides a scientific result of “information present” or “information absent,” i.e., does the person know the specific details of the crime that he would have no way of knowing unless he committed it. It has been ruled admissible in court. Brain Fingerprinting is based on a sub-set of brain waves that register as brief electrical patterns when a person recognizes familiar stimuli measured by a computer. In other words, it is . It provides a scientific result of “information present” or “information absent,” i.e., does the person know the specific details of the crime that he would have no way of knowing unless he committed it. ++++++++++ Articles/Resources on Separation and Divorce A Brevity reader who provides marital and family counseling in Ontario , Canada has sent me a list of articles he has posted online that should be most useful to anyone working in the divorce, child custody, and domestic relations field. The articles are all downloadable and you are welcome to read, use, and share them. Thank you, Gary . ++++++++++ Model Parenting Time Plans A statewide committee of Arizona judicial officers, mental health providers and attorneys created this model for parenting time after consulting with nationally known experts on child development and reviewing research and guidelines from other communities. From the preface to the plan: “Written access plans provide children and parents with some assurances of maintaining meaningful contact and can prevent future conflict.” This is a downloadable pdf file, but it is only downloadable one page at a time for a total of 50 pages, which means you will spend about an hour downloading it. If you’d rather, send me an email and I’ll send you a copy of mine -- I’ve already gone through the pain of downloading it. ++++++++++ Child Trends Databank Report Child Support -- Among custodial parents who were awarded child support, 45% received all of the support they were owed in 2002, representing an increase from 37% in 1994. ++++++++++ A Tool for Divorcing Parents Minnesota Public Radio reports on Our Family Wizard, a web site where separate households coordinate schedules and exchange information about the kids. Hennepin County and several other Minnesota counties have started suggesting using Our Family Wizard to take the emotion out of communicating between divorced parents. ++++++++++ U.S. Divorce Statistics
The web site of Divorce Magazine on line contains a very comprehensive list of statistics about divorce, families and children. |
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