Men's Divorce Law Blog » Bill

California Bill Protects Soldiers’ Child Custody Rights

Men's Divorce Law Blog Administrator — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:23:48 +0000

For the past few months, Fathers & Families has gathered support for a California Bill that will protect the loving bond between servicemembers and their children. The bill was created after many servicemembers lost contact with their children while they were overseas because the custodial parent would limit contact through letters and phone calls. It became very difficult for deployed servicemembers to keep in touch with their kids because of this continued interference from the other parent.

The new bill, AB 2416, states that grandparents, stepparents, and extended family members will have the ability to exercise a deployed soldier’s normal parenting time. This not only helps in protecting the bond between children and their deployed parents, but it also strengthens the bond children have with other family members, such as grandparents and stepparents. The bill further states that when soldiers returned, original custody and visitation arrangements will resume.

With the help of Assemblyman Paul Cook, Legislative Representative Michael Robinson, and Assistant Legislative Representative Nicole Silverman, Father & Families has been able to drum up enough support to get the bill passed by the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill will now be presented to the General Assembly for further approval, but it is favored to pass there as well.

The Men’s Divorce Law Firm is pleased to see that state legislaters are standing up for fathers’ rights. We hope this movement continues across the nation, and we look forward to seeing the bill pass in California’s General Assembly.

Click here to read the full story about AB 2416.

www.MensDivorceLaw.com

Tennessee Pushing for Equal Child Custody

Men's Divorce Law Blog Administrator — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00:35 +0000

Some lawmakers in Tennessee are currently pushing for an initial presumption of a 50-50 split in regards to child custody. These officials are questioning why mothers so often get automatic custody of their children during a divorce. Supporters of the bill hope that it will even the playing field and make the court consider the mother and father equally when assigning custody.

A local father, William Fain, explained how every study shows children are better off with two fit parents. He then responded to critics who asked how it is better for the child to be shuffling back and forth between homes by saying that the court should have intervened when his family moved frequently because one of his parents was in the military. “I went to seven schools in twelve years, and the state never said that’s bad for your child,” Fain shared.

No other state in the country has passed legislation like this, so it is uncertain how the vote will turn out next week in Tennessee. The Men’s Divorce Law Firm is pleased to see others taking action against the inequality fathers face in the courtroom. Whether or not the bill passes, we hope it will open more people’s eyes to the Men’s Divorce Law Firm’s mission of promoting fathers, families, and fairness.

Click here to read News Channel 5’s coverage of the bill.

www.MensDivorceLaw.com

New Bill in Illinois Proposes Fine for Child Custody Violators

Men's Divorce Law Blog Administrator — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:05 +0000

Illinois State Representative, Robert W. Pritchard, is currently proposing a bill that would enforce a $100 fine for anyone who interferes with court-ordered child custody or visitation, and proposes similar penalties for those who violate a protective order. The bill is designed to discourage visitation interference. The proceeds of the fine, after a 10% handling fee, would go towards free legal advice for domestic violence victims.

The Men’s Divorce Law Firm appreciates that other states are calling for equal treatment for parents in regards to child custody. We hope that this will help parents communicate more effectively after a divorce and consider each other’s visitation rights more carefully.

To follow the bill’s progress, visit the Illinois General Assembly Bill Status online.