Divorce Advice for Men | Fathers Rights Divorce | Child Custody

By Julie Garrison

Special to DadsDivorce.com

With the New Year upon us, it’s time for a preview of pro-fathers' rights legislation awaiting approval in 2013. Even though 2012 brought America’s dads progress in their attempts to win equal parenting time and more equitable child support orders, there is still much work to be done.

Here is a sampling of the pro-dad bills before the legislatures of four states – Georgia, Minnesota, Vermont, and Virginia.

Judith Sandalow is the executive director of the Children's Law Center, which provides legal services on behalf of at-risk children and their families.

She recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of two fathers against the District of Columbia and a child welfare agency alleging infringement on the rights of children and their parents - who live outside of D.C. - to live together.

These fathers were denied access to their children even though their kids were removed from their mothers' care because of neglect and put in foster care.

Sandalow talked with DadsDivorce.com editor Matt Allen about this lawsuit and why these fathers rights were ignored.

By Michael Doherty

Chairman, Children’s Rights Council of Illinois

The controversial issues of parenting time and decision-making over children produced the expected perennial round of family law reform initiatives this legislative season, including the states of Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, some of which may see passage.

Many of the proposals gained more coverage, more sponsors, and wider support than ever before. However, history shows us that while "radical" reform proposals energize activists, they are not likely to ever see a governor’s pen.

With the arrival of summer recesses, it may be time for activists to reflect: what reforms are within reach and how might they be achieved?

What New Legislation Means In One State

by Ravelle Smith, JD of Cordell & Cordell, PC

There are several things the courts can consider when determining to deviate from the basic child support obligation.

In a legal environment that is often dictates limited time between fathers and their children one question surfaces again and again: "Who's looking out for the kids?"

The answer is: The Children's Rights Council. On this episode of DadsDivorce Live attorney Dan Cuneo speaks to Michael Doherty of the CRC's Illinois Chapter.

Mr Doherty recently addressed two state committees to shine some light on the fact that standards do in fact exist de facto parenting schedules that our court system relies on which are patently "child-unfriendly."  

Watch the interview in which Mr Doherty describes the CRC's testimony about how the "one-size-fits-all" constraints of the present "every other weekend and four hours on Wednesday" schedule doesn't work for kids.