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Recent Posts in Relocation With Children Category
| June 03, 2010 |
| "PARENTAL ALIENATION" at the 2010 AFCC Conference |
| Posted By Thurman Arnold |
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The topic of the 47th Annual Association of Family and Conciliation Court Conference is "parental alienation." Over 1,000 lawyers, judges, mediators, and mental health professionals (psychologists, therapists, counselors, and court personnel) have converged in Denver for plenaries and dozens of educational and training sessions to share wisdom and views not just about alienating parents, but also concerning many other topics including mediating high conflict partner breakups, understanding how the brain works in conflict and why people behave irrationally and reactively, the effects of parental conflict upon children, children's best interests and parenting plans, domestic violence, and much more.
This is reportedly the largest AFCC Conference turn out ever.
The AFCC a is multi-disciplinary and highly collaborative organization, made up of members of overlapping professions who are passionately cross-pollinating the international social landscape - but particularly within the U.S. - in fertile ways. AFCC is dedicated to facilitating the healthy resolution of family conflict. AFCC's most important function is to serve as a forum for mental health professionals and family scientists and legal scholars to educate and train all of us who are in the day to day trenches of the legal and social struggles surrounding, and consequences of, relationship breakup. It is a natural marriage of a number of related professions, and probably the most important organization affecting family law trends today both in and outside the courtroom.
The concept of "parental alienation" is a highly controversial subject. There is much debate and disagreement nationally and in Denver this week whether parental alienation is really a "syndrome" or "disorder" and whether it deserves its own category in the upcoming DSM-V.
The DSM is short for the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It is published is by the American Psychiatric Association. The current DSM-IV was first released in 1994 and has since been updated. It appears that the DSM-V may be released as early as 2012. It is the APA and not AFCC that determines what is and what is not included.
Mental Health Professionals (MHP's) use this manual when working with patients as a common ground for better understanding their illness and potential treatment, to communicate between themselves, and to help insurance companies and other payors decide whether to cover treatments. It is considered the ‘bible’ for any professional who makes psychiatric diagnoses in the United States and many other countries, and hence what gets in and what does not has long ranging consequences about how MHP's and judges and lawyers view certain behaviors and functioning. In effect it constitutes a consensus over what is and what is not a 'mental illness.'
The parental alienation question in this context is essentially whether there are predictable and discrete behaviors that in combination and given certain levels of intensity can form an identifiable mental illness that can be credibly diagnosed, distinguished from other disorders, and treated?
Hence, the DSM has important consequences to families who find themselves within the Family Court systems, even though that is not what the manual is necessarily intended to be used for.
For instance, in forensic parenting evaluations the DSM-IV may be used to label parents in ways that can seriously impact and impede their parenting rights. Therapists, psychologists, social workers and others who must employ and rely upon its system of coding often provide diagnoses and recommendations to judges and other MHP's derived from the DSM that are used to establish parenting rights and parenting plans in custody disputes and move-away situations.
I will attempt to Blog some information about current parental alienation research soon. In the meantime, consistent with my goal of providing free educational materials to individuals and families who are investigating legal questions involving families, my hope here is to introduce people to these important concepts. Given the nature of Blogs it is easiest to do this in 'layers.'
Thurman Arnold
http://www.ThurmanArnold.com
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| May 10, 2010 |
| What does it mean that a judge has ordered a 730 EVALUATION in my custody case? |
| Posted By Thurman Arnold |
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Q. My ex wife and I are fighting over custody of our three children. The judge decided to appoint a psychologist to interview us all. How does this affect me and my case?
A. In high conflict cases where two sides have entrenched and opposing views about what is in the best interests of their children in terms of custody and visitation, California Evidence Code section 730 provides judges the option of appointing an expert witness to investigate the matter and report to the Court. This is often referred to as a forensic evaluation but in California we typically call them "730 evaluations."
What this means for you is that your family is likely in trouble, since these custody evals only are necessary where parents are failing to proactively resolve their parenting issues. They can be quite expensive in every way. I describe the process here in part to help encourage you avoid it. Still, there are times when it can lead to a lessening of conflict and it may be inevitable in move away situations.
Forensic evaluations can be used in a number of other settings as well, including valuing businesses or real estate. It is extremely common in move away cases and in fact a strong argument can be made that to allow a parent to relocate with minor children in the absence of such a report (if it is requested) violates the due process rights of the non-moving parent [In re Marriage of McGinnis (1992) 7 Cal.App.4th 473, 9 Cal.Rptr. 2d 182].
In your situation the Court has likely appointed a Psychologist or Marriage and Family Therapist whose work is already known to the Court because that person is on a panel the Court uses, or possibly because one or both lawyers have worked with the expert and either recommended him or her to the Court. Often the parties' lawyers will agree upon this third person.
Reliable evaluators are not hired guns for either side. However, like everyone else they can have their own biases. To the extent that you can, it is always a good idea to get as much information as possible about a potential evaluator before a selection is made. Courts generally don't impose someone on the parties where one of them objects to that person, but in smaller communities there may be fewer options in terms of qualified evaluators.
It can be very difficult for a judge to determine the truth of claims between family law litigants, what their underlying motives are, whether there is some mental health or substance abuse undercurrent, and whether one parent is more likely than the other to foster an ongoing relationship between the other parent and their children. Courts don't have the time or resources to do much more than call balls and strikes based upon witness declarations or live testimony. Therapists and psychologists are able to spend time interviewing parents and sometimes have them complete psychological testing, they meet children, talk to teachers, visiting homes, check with therapists who are seeing family members, and also interview significant others, new spouses, and other children in blended families. A much more reliable picture may emerge than that which comes from the parties' own descriptions of themselves, their children, and the other parent.
These custody evaluations can be quite expensive, typically starting at about $2,500. They seem to average between $4,000 and $6,000, but the costs skyrocket with the number of people other than the parents themselves (often called 'collaterols') whose input is required.
It typically takes at least three months for an expert psychologist or MFT to complete all the necessary interviews and write a detailed report. In my experience the time frame is closer to four months. This report is then submitted to the attorneys and to the Court.
Most courts require this report to be submitted at least 10 days prior to a hearing, so that both sides have ample time to review it. If you are involved in a custody dispute and you or your attorney receive the report late, if you disagree with its recommendations you may want to object that you have not had sufficient time if you want a continuance; otherwise, the Court may adopt the recommendations at that hearing.
In almost all cases where a 730 report has been completed, either side may request that an evidentiary hearing take place with live testimony and the ability to examine and cross-examine witnesses - including the custody evaluator whose recommendations are being considered. Depending upon the urgency of the family's issues and the Court's availability, these hearings may not be set for weeks or months.
In addition, if you feel that the evaluator failed to adequately investigate the case, or did not meet the standards of practice for such evaluations, you may want to consider hiring your own Evidence Code § 733 expert to advise you or your attorney on how to point out the shortcomings to the Court. This can be an expensive, but sometimes useful, way to challenge findings that you do not agree with. The usefulness of 733 evaluators is limited by the fact they do not get to perform a second evaluation (for instance, they rarely meet with the other party), and without conducting full interviews with all relevant persons they may be ethically bound not to render an opinion and certainly their views won't carry the same weight with a judge as the full evaluator. This is not to imply, however, that your children's interests are even your own interests are served by attacking an evaluator's report just because you don't like portions of it.
I will write more on this topic but want to leave you with this thought: Contested custody cases will damage your children, guaranteed. I urge you to consider mediating your custody differences instead, either by using a qualified mediator or a mental health professional.
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| March 06, 2010 |
| What does a VOLUNTARY DECLARATION OF PATERNITY (VDOP) do in California? |
| Posted By Thurman Arnold |
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Q. My ex girlfriend gave birth to our son three years ago. I was at the hospital with her, and signed a document they handed me that said I was the father. She and I were never married. We lived together for another year, but then split up. For six months, since I got a new girlfriend, the ex has refused to let me see our son. What can I do?
A. This is a common situation. We always know who the mother of a child is, but it isn't always certain who the father is. The law has developed ways of dealing with this, keeping in mind it is the policy of the state to try to find legal fathers for children so that they, and not the taxpayers, have the burden of supporting that child.
Under the law, when a woman gives birth to a child during a marriage there is a legal presumption that he is the biological father if certain conditions are met. There are a number of statutory ways of establishing parentage since there are a number of different situations where children are conceived and born. Here I only write about situations where there was no marriage.
Establishing you are the father is a precondition to establishing two very important things: Your right to share the custody and visitation of the child and your right to receive child support, or your obligation to pay it.
Family Code section 7611 establishes this presumption where
1) the man "and the child's natural mother are or have been married to each other and the child is born during the marriage, or within 300 days after the marriage is terminated, ... or after a judgment of [legal] separation is entered by a court"; or
2) before the birth, he and the mother attempted to marry each other but where the marriage was for some reason invalid, if the child is born during the attempted marriage or within 300 days after it termination OR if the attempted marriage is invalid without a court order, the child is born within 300 days after the ending of cohabitation; or
3) After the birth, he and the mother marry or attempt to marry each other but the marriage could be declared or is declared invalid, where (a) with the father's consent is named on the birth certificate or (b) he is obligated to support the child under a written voluntary promise or under a court order; or
4) If the man receives the child into his home and openly holds him out as his natural child.
Since you don't mention a marriage or attempted marriage, only the fourth category may apply to you.
Family Code sections 7570 to 7577 govern the establishment of paternity by voluntary declaration. This is called a VDOP. It is really for establishing paternity between a child and unmarried persons.
Since 1995, hospitals in California have been required to have on hand this declaration and informational documents about establishing paternity by this method. Hospitals are required by law to "provide [these documents] to the natural mother and [to] attempt to provide, at the place of birth, to the man identified by the natural mother as the natural father...." Family Code section 7571(a). Family Code section 7572 sets forth what the informational materials of the legal effects of signing the VDOP, including the rights that a father may be assuming and those that he is giving up (like limitations on his ability to dispute parentage later). Hospitals are then required to submit these documents to the California State Department of Child Support Services [DCSS].
Family Code section 7573 provides that, with certain qualifications, once this VDOP has been submitted to DCSS, the VDOP "shall establish paternity of the child and shall have the same force and effect as a judgment for paternity issued by a court.... The voluntary declaration of paternity shall be recognized as a basis for the establishment of an order for child custody, visitation, or child support."
Family Code section 7574 sets forth the minimum requirements of what the VDOP must say to the father.
The VDOP may only be rescinded (reversed) by either parent by filing a recission form with DCSS within 60 days of its date of execution unless a court has already entered orders for support or custody based upon it. Family Code section 7575.
Nonetheless, if a challenge is made within certain time frames to the VDOP after the recission period is passed, Family Code section 7575(b)(1) may permit the Court to set the judgment it has created aside "if the court finds that the conclusions of all the experts based upon the results of genetic tests ... are that the man ... is not the father," UNLESS the court finds that denial of an action to set aside the VDOP is not in the best interest of the child. Take a look at subsection (b)(1) to get a sense of what those considerations include.
Family Code effectively sets a 2 year statute of limitations for filing a motion with a court to set aside the VDOP; otherwise it cannot be set aside. Genetic testing must prove the supposed father is in fact not the bio dad.
In your case the VDOP cannot be set aside since it was signed more than 2 years ago. Based upon it, you are the legal father. If you need the court's assistance to enjoy visitation rights with your son, you need to file and serve a Paternity action, attach the VDOP (which you can get from DCSS), and file a separation OSC or motion to have custody and visitation rights determined. The case then becomes much like any other custody dispute.
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| August 18, 2009 |
| Can the primary physical custody parent MOVE AWAY to another city even though my children attended 4 schools in 5 years? |
| Posted By Thurman Arnold |
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Q. Can the primary physical custodian move away to another city even though my children attended 4 schools in 5 years?
In the first two hearings, the court ruled that the ex-wife who has a job in Riverside cannot move to Chicago on the basis that my children have been academically unstable. My daughter (13 years of age) in particular has been attending 4 different schools in 5 years and does not wish to be relocated with her mother. Until recently, she went to Chicago with my children for two weeks where she was interviewed for a job and got the offer.
The primary custodian cannot move away if you can convince the Riverside judge that the child/children will suffer a detriment from the move, which is independent of the interference with your custodial time share. Is any therapist, mediator, child appointed attorney, or evaluator looking at this case? A 13 year old child is old enough to express a meaningful preference under Family Code section 3042, and you need to get these wishes to the court. The court evidently is uncomfortable with the move. You need to ask one or all of these folks be appointed, and you need to ask that legal and physical custody be awarded to the two of you jointly, or solely to you in the alternative. Please see what I have written here as it may help guide you:
http://www.thurmanarnold.com/Practice-Areas/Relocation-and-Move-Away.aspx |
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