The Smart Divorce® Weblog

Here comes the judge………what he has to say

July 20, 2009 at 4:49 am Leave a comment

For an insightful perspective of what goes on in the family courtroom, the video attached is a must see for anyone in the throes of divorce.  Why is it so important to stay out of court – because you want to avoid the tug of war between parents and the disastrous effects it can have on children

Watch this captivating interview with Susan Ormiston who talks to family court judge, Justice Harvey Brownstone, who has spent 14 years refereeing ugly custody disputes, writing a book detailing his experiences on the bench.

http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/crimejustice/tug_of_war_extended_interview.html

If this isn’t enough to keep you out of court, then read this powerful research by Dr. Robert E. Emery.   Dr. Emery conducted a 12 year study on high conflict families — who had originally appeared in court because they had filed for a contested custody hearing.  He compared two groups – those that litigated the outcome vs mediation.
The outcome:
5 hours of mediation caused nonresidential parents to see their children much more often 12 years later
Compare these rates to the dramatic drop off in contact after the typical divorce in America
For example, 28% of nonresident parents who mediated saw their children weekly 12 years later compared to 9% who litigated and 11% in the national averages

For more information and a full review of the study, click on the link

http://emeryondivorce.com/divorce_mediation_study.php

Our goal as parents is to put our children’s best interest first.  It isn’t always easy, but it’s a goal we need to achieve!

Entry filed under: children, Conflict, custody and access, divorce, litigation, mediation, parenting, parenting plan, parenting support, the children's best interest. Tags: .