Aussie Joint Custody - More

Some of the recommendations in the Report (beginning on page 21) will actually do the opposite of what the Committee wants, especially when it comes to cutting the costs of divorce. These particular recommendations are bad for dads as well as children and mothers. The ones who benefit are the attorneys and therapists.

"Maximum parental involvement" as a goal cannot be legislated. The Report recommends the use of mandatory mediators, court-ordered counselors and legal advisors, and a new tribunal to require parents to create parenting plans. All of that is nearly identical to the "divorce cottage industry" that exists in the U. S. This is the same "divorce industry" fathers' rights complain about all the time. In that instance, they're right to complain.

The therapists, attorneys, and child advocates make lots of money with court-ordered cases. That's a big reason why some divorces in some areas (think California) can cost in excess of six figures. That recommendation (recommedation #5 in the Report, pg. 22) will increase the cost of divorce and jam up the court system, making matters worse for everyone -- men, women, children.

From Chapter 4: A New Family Law Process:

4.4 People who have given evidence in this inquiry appear to have been unwittingly caught up in it. Often this has been through the attitude of their ex partner. It seems that the present system can do nothin about one party dragging the ohter through drawn out and repeated court battles for purely vindictive reasons. Many within the legal fraternity appear to exacerbate this by their adversarial approach. This experience becomes extremely expensive (over $200,000 for one witness) and the process seems to destroy families and escalate disputes rather than enable them to put aside their conflict and concentrate on the interests of the children.

The Recommendation requiring mediators, etc., will only increase these expenses, especially in the kinds of cases mentioned above. Frivolous and antagonistic litigation has long been a problem in the U. S. By the way, fathers' rights attorneys have frequently exacerbated problems for divorcing dads by urging them to "fight for their rights" in court. Who benefits from this? The attorney - who collects huge legal fees by feeding on client's distress and anger.

That's the sort of thing the Committee wants to avoid.