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Fathers’ Rights Activist on Canadian Televison
Kris Titus on the Michael Coren Show.
Legal system slammed for failing families
Legal system slammed for failing families
Kirk Makin — Justice Reporter
From Friday’s Globe and Mail
At one of the most stressful periods of their lives, separating couples are driven to the poorhouse by a family law system that fails to deliver workable solutions while their children are often hurt by a system that doesn’t take their opinions into account, a report by the Law Commission of Ontario says.
In one of the most in-depth looks at what ails family law in many years, the report indicts the system for draining parents’ bank accounts, ignoring expert advice in favour of simplistic solutions and leaving children out of the process.
The report, which was based on interviews with roughly 100 social workers, lawyers, judges, counsellors and individuals caught up in the machinery of family law, also proposes a series of solutions, including more money for low-income litigants.
While battling an ex-partner in court can be costly – cases that go to trial can ding the participants for well over $100,000 – the report’s authors said there is substantial concern judges cannot or will not step in to stop overly litigious spouses from wearing down an ex-partner through “legal bullying.”
What’s more, many parents who tried to access legal aid funding ultimately gave up because they felt ignored or rejected by “unfriendly” staff.
Many social workers and mental-health professionals also complained that lawyers and judges often paid little attention to their findings, sticking instead to more simplistic concepts. For example, judges often hold to the idea that equal parenting is always best when in some cases it isn’t, it said.
Some of these professionals were amazed that governments license drivers, but do not take steps to educate people before they blunder into marriage.
Even individuals who want information about their marital obligations are “immensely” nervous and embarrassed about seeking it out, the report said.
“Many people find it ‘suspicious’ that someone would want to get legal information at an early stage of a relationship and would prefer not seeking it for fear of being perceived as not trusting their intimate partner,” it said. “Most people are afraid that these conversations would destroy their relationship.”
The report also found widespread skepticism of mandatory mediation, partly because mediators are poorly regulated and often untrained, and partly because the process that only works when both participants are voluntarily committed to it.
The report found children felt the costly process was draining their parents’ money and that courts had little interest in their opinions.
“Children want to be heard but they feel they have no voice and no power in relation to adults, including their parents, lawyers, counsellors and judges,” it said.
At home, the report said children often feel obligated to “parent” an emotionally needy mother or father at the same time as they nervously watch family finances dwindle away.
Stan Barron, a father who has spent 14 years and over $200,000 fighting with his ex-wife over custody of their children, said money was his overriding problem. Besides the burden of high legal fees, Mr. Barron said litigants must be prepared to match their ex-spouses expert for expert when it comes to mounting a case.
“It has bankrupted me,” said Mr. Barron, whose sons are now 16 and 19.
He also observed that different judges are repeatedly parachuted into long-running cases. “It would be a massive improvement to have one judge follow a case from start to finish,” Mr. Barron said. “I was shocked when I started this process. You have to reinvent the wheel every time.”
The report details a number of solutions to the problems, many of which deal with making it easier for people to afford the high cost of litigation. Among the suggestions included in the report are more flexible payment systems to allow people to pay their fees incrementally and a sliding scale to make legal services more affordable for low-income people.
It also suggests ways to better co-ordinate services for those with family problems, such as police and women’s shelters, suggesting that some services should team up to share space and that case workers should communicate more.
Johnny Carson and Betty White in the Garden of Eden
Lawyers to be kept out of divorce battles
Lawyers to be kept out of divorce battles
Lawyers will be kept out of thousands of family dispute cases every year in a shake-up of divorce laws.
By Nick Collins
Published: 7:30AM BST 18 Oct 2010
The number of divorce cases rose 16 per cent to 137,000 last year, with the average childcare case taking more than 12 months to be completed Photo: PHOTOLIBRARY
A government review is to recommend the introduction of a compulsory mediation stage before any financial or custodial dispute is heard in court.
The plan, to be published at the start of next year, will also introduce briefer and simpler hearings for cases that cannot be resolved by mediation.
David Norgrove, who is leading the review, described the “tremendous strain” being put on the current system by the rising number of disputes coming before the courts.
The number of divorce cases rose 16 per cent to 137,000 last year, with the average childcare case taking more than 12 months to be completed.
It is hoped that the new mediation stage will reduce legal aid costs by up to £100 million, while fewer expert witnesses would be required to testify before the courts.
Mr Norgrove told The Times the family justice system costs more than £1.6 billion, but that nine in every ten cases could be dealt with out of court.
He said evidence showed that: “If you can get both parties to learn about mediation, the great majority will go on to use it.”
Sir Nicholas Wall, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said the system should be made “less adversarial” as he attacked selfish parents for failing to consider their children’s well being.
Under the new system, couples could be forced to take parenting classes as well as being referred to mediators, with court rooms acting as a last resort.
Stats Can, we need more divorce and family law info!
Dear StatsCan,
We need more information about divorces and family law.
Non custodial parents are victimized, abused and tortured by the government and denied our parental rights and we need to know how many of us are suffering.
We strongly urge you to do an indepth, long form interview of divorced parents to get the required information.
We need it now and we need it up to date.
We need more info such as the following:
- Who get’s custody? Men or woman?
- What percentage?
- Who pays child support? Men or women?
- How much child support do they pay? percentage of income.
- How many times must a non custodial parent go to court over the lifespan of the child support? 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 or more?
- How much extra ordinary expenses are charged over the lifespan of the child support? Under $500, Over $500 -$1,000, $1,000-$5,000, $5,000 -$10,000, more?
- Who get’s a lawyer? Men or women.
- Who pays for the lawyer? Men or women.
- Who is forced to pay the others legal bills? Men or women.
- Do non custodial females pay child support?
- How long do non custodial parents pay child support? To what age of the children? 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or more?
- Do non custodial parents pay court ordered University fees? Men or women?
- Do custodial parents pay court ordered University fees? Men or women?
- Do men have access to affordable lawyers?
- Do women have access to affordable lawyers?
- How much do they pay lawyers? $0, $1,000-$5,000, $5,000 – $10,000, $10,000 -$20,000, $20,000 -$30,000, other? Men and women?
- Do men get access to their children?
- Do women get access to their children?
- Do parents have equal shared custody as ordered by the courts?
- Do parents have equal shared custody as spousal agreements?
- Do you think the family law system is unfair? Custodial parent or non custodial parent?
- Have parents requested a meeting with the Justice Dept over enequities in family law? Male or female?
- Did they receive a meeting with the Justice Dept? Yes or No.
- How much government money is put into women’s issues? Family law.
- How much government money is put into men’s issues? Family law.
- How many children are apprehended by Childrens’ Aid Societies, without parental consent?
- How many childdren are adopted out by Childrens’ Aid Societies, without parental consent?
- How many children are adopted?
- How many children are fostered out by Childrens’ Aid Societies without parental consent?
- How many children are fostered out?
- What legal funding has been provided parents? $0, $500, $1,000, $5,000, other?
- What support systems have been provided to assert your Constitutional and parental rights?
And any other question you can think of.
cc Dept of Justice, Canada and NS
cc Non Custodial Parents
Live Free,
Connie Brauer
1061 Mines Rd.
Falmouth, NS
B0P 1L0
Home: 902.798.5267
cbrauer@xplornet.com
============================
http://www.stopthetorture.info
1061 Mines Rd.
Falmouth, NS
B0P 1L0
Home: 902.798.5267
cbrauer@xplornet.com
============================
http://www.stopthetorture.info
Why are we paying child support for a missing 24 year old man,
missing for 5 years????
Fixed Fee Divorces Could Provide Answer to Hike in Divorce Fees
Fixed Fee Divorces Could Provide Answer to Hike in Divorce Fees
WEBWIRE – Monday, September 20, 2010
- Contact Information
- Kate Silvers
- Marketing Manager
- Farleys Solicitors LLP
- 0845 050 1958
- kate.silvers@farleys.com
Family law solicitors are warning that the price of obtaining a divorce may soon become unaffordable for many as the cost to file a divorce as imposed by The Ministry of Justice in England and Wales is set for a further dramatic increase.
The fee for filing a divorce in County Court increased by 14% to £340.00 from £300 on 1st September 2010. Following comments from the Ministry of Justice that the current position for the funding of divorce and family matters is ‘unsustainable’, further fee increases are expected by 2011.
On the price increases, Antonia Love, Partner and Head of Family Law at Farleys Solicitors LLP comments:
“It is worrying that with the rumoured increases in Family Court Proceedings, and specifically filing the petition for divorce, couples might be put off filing for divorce due to concerns regarding costs. Whilst it is always sad when a marriage breaks down, the strain of staying in a marriage that is no longer working and is beyond recovery can have wider, long-lasting consequences on the individuals and any children involved.
Get the rest of the story here. http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=123412
This is long overdue here in Canada. We need to make Family Law more humane and affordable.
Connie Brauer
Stop the Torture of families by the courts 