Supreme Court hears challenge to Florida adoption law

The following article was published in the Florida Times Union Jacksonville:

Supreme Court hears challenge to Florida adoption law
By BILL KACZOR Associated Press Writer

TALLAHASSSEE, Fla. - Unmarried men who fail to register with the state as potential fathers before a child is adopted should lose their parental rights, an adoption agency lawyer told the Florida Supreme Court on Monday.
Justice Harry Lee Anstead asked if that meant an unmarried man who has sex with a woman should skip "smoking the classic cigarette" and instead immediately tell the Health Department: "I want the state to know that I've just had sexual intercourse."
Jeanne Tate, the lawyer for Heart of Adoptions Inc., replied that a man would have nine months to sign up with the Florida Putative Father Registry, maintained by the state Department of Health.
An appeals court disagreed with the for-profit agency's contention that certain unmarried men should lose their rights, but asked the justices to decide the interpretation of state adoption laws as an issue of "great public importance." The high court will release an opinion later.
The Tampa case pits Heart of Adoptions and the adoptive parents of "Baby H" against the biological father, identified in court records as "J.A." to protect the child's identity.
J.A. gave up his parental rights when he failed to sign up with the Jacksonville-based registry before the baby was born and immediately adopted in August 2005, Tate said.
J.A.'s lawyer, Rhonda Portwood, argued her client did not find out about the pregnancy until three months before the baby was born and no one told him about the obsure registry. Only 47 men signed up in 2004 although nearly 90,000 children were born out of wedlock in Florida that year.
"Because you don't send a piece of paper to Jacksonville ... you're not going to have your parental rights?" Portwood said in an interview. "That's not fair."
The 2nd District Court of Appeal agreed with her argument and reversed a trial judge's decision terminating J.A.'s parental rights and barring him from challenging the adoption of his child.
The court based its decision on two prior cases in which it held that failing to file with the registry was not a basis for terminating parental rights. Portwood also is challenging the registry law's constitutionality, arguing it deprives biological fathers of their due process rights.
Tate said the law fairly balances the rights of biological fathers against those of biological mothers and adoptive parents. The law was passed in 2003 in an effort to prevent the removal of children from their adoptive parents months or years after they were adopted.
"We've got to have bright line rules to determine when a child is free for adoption," Tate said after the argument. Otherwise, she said, children will be "faced with the prospect of being ripped out of the only home they've ever known."
That eventually could happen to Baby H. The child already is nearly 2 years old, but Tate said it may take several more years to resolve the case even though the Supreme Court has agreed to expedite its decision.
If the justices rule in J.A.'s favor, Tate said the adoption agency would continue to challenge his parental rights on other grounds, including abandonment, paternity and the best interests of the child.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Surviving Divorce

It seems that every week there is a news item on one of the early morning news shows about divorce. Sometimes its about divorce's effect on children, sometimes its about how to avoid divorce pitfalls. This morning, there was a news item regarding how women cope with the aftermath of divorce. Every one of the women that were involved in the news item had been divorced, and they all seemed to have a lot in common as to how they felt once the divorce was finalized. Most of them felt a sense of peace when all the dust finally settled after their divorce. I'm sure that this is a common feeling for most people who have finished battling it out in divorce court. I've stated in numerous blogs that people often times like to commiserate with people who are going through or have been through the same things in life. If you have finalized your divorce and you are wondering whether there are women out there who are feeling the same things you are, the following news item featured on The Today Show earlier this morning may give you some peace of mind: http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=388895f1-fa

The Disappearing Spouse

I have a great deal of people who call my office and state that they have been separated from their spouse for quite some time, and would like to get a divorce. Sometimes those people who have been separated for some time have no idea where their spouse is currently living. In those cases, the question becomes, can I get a divorce if I don't know where to find my spouse. The simple answer to that question is...Yes. After you conduct a diligent good faith search that is required by Florida law. There is a standard list of reasonable steps that you need to take in order to find your spouse, such as writing to the Department of Motor Vehicles and talking to family and friends who may know the whereabouts of your spouse. You also have to publish the matter in an appropriate newspaper for the appropriate period of time and then you will be able to get a divorce. However, the Court will not have the ability to order any division of property or alimony for example, until such time as your spouse is found and served with the papers. Therefore if you have no children, have no assets, and are not seeking alimony, after a good faith diligent search, you will be allowed to obtain a divorce.

Diet Discussion In Custody Battle

Florida is a "no fault" state which means that marital fault cannot come into play when it comes to equitable distribution of marital assets and alimony. What one person "did" to the other to cause the demise of the marriage is of no consequence. Therefore, the only issue which still allows for mud-slinging is in the area of child custody, or in Florida, primary residential responsibility. A recent story out of Hillsborough County has a couple fighting over custody of their quintuplets and one of the issues the Father is bringing into play is that the Mother makes the children follow a strict vegan diet and won't let the children go to their paternal grandparents' house because they have leather furniture. Whether or not there is any validity to those allegations or not, it may be inconsequential with respect to who is able to provide the most stable and healthy environment for the children. Life style choices, while it may not be your life style choice, is not reason enough to have a judge rule in your favor when it comes to awarding custody. What is more important is who has been the primary care giver in the past, and who is most likely to provide the best home environment in the future.

New Billboard Encouraging Marriage

A month or so ago, I wrote a blog about a Chicago law firm who had erected a billboard with scantily clad people with the caption, "Life's Short. Get a Divorce". This billboard attracted media attention and critics alike from all over America. The firm eventually took the billboard down, but I believe that the attention that this marketing ploy created definitely helped them with their business. Now, this blip in American culture is back in the news because a couple of marital coaches have erected a billboard in Chicago that states, "Life is Short. Your Marriage Doesn't Have To Be." While they have no doubt stolen the idea from their divorce lawyer nemesis, it'll be interesting to see whether their billboard will attract the same attention. No matter what, professionals are getting the idea out there to couples who are in danger of break-up that they have options.

If you would like to read about this new billboard, visit: http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=324988

Maternity Houses Still In Existence

When I was young, I remember a rumor about a girl that I knew who was "sent away" because she was pregnant. The rumor was that she was living in some sort of maternity house and was going to put her baby up for adoption. I'm not sure whether that rumor had any validity as high school can be a very cruel place. However, it seems that there are still young women who get pregnant and go away, either on their own volition or by their parents, to have their babies and place them for adoption. It appears that Maternity Houses are still in existence all over America, some of which follow strict rules of conduct, much like the rules you would see in a drug rehabilitation center. The following article takes a look at the maternity homes of today and questions whether their practices are helpful or hurtful to their residents.

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/06/21/sent-away-a-new-look-at-maternity-group-homes-today

Should I Divorce Him?

The Internet has been a great source of information for people looking for any type of advice, from how to cook a lasagna to how to find the perfect mate. A new website has been created for women to allow them to vent about their current spouse or to seek out advice as to whether their marriage is worth saving. "ShouldIDivorceHim.com is a content-based website featuring a team of veteran writers who dish the dirt on the good, the bad and the ugly of relationships. With blogs such as Mrs. Bickersons's Bitchings, The Ex Files and Do I Need To Slap You?, there's a wealth of real-life writings that tell it like it is - from why couples divorce to successful marriage tips". With the amount of traffic that this website has gotten, there seems to be a need to help people get real advice about difficult problems or to poke fun at the normal frustrations of being married.

About Should I Divorce Him?

http://www.shouldidivorcehim.com/ the internet's first destination and online community catering to the trials and tribulations of marriage, family and divorce with support for any woman, advice and tips for a successful marriage. A subsidiary of KMJ Interactive, the founding group is comprised of a team of seasoned internet and media professionals from a range of world-class companies including eDiets.com, Cox Media, American Media, CNN International, USA Networks, Autoweb.com, IBM and Sensormatic. The site features daily commentary from a host of seasoned writers, message boards, expert articles, relationship resources and more. Visit www.shouldidivorcehim.com for more information.
Contact:Kim Droze, CEO KMJ Interactive Ph: 954-298-9377
OR
Maria Nelson, President KMJ Interactive561-628-1106

Ex-wife cries foul on child support

The following article was taken from the Evansville Courier and Press and was written by Kate Braser.

Ex-wife cries foul on child support

An ex-wife is claiming unfairness in the judicial system over child support allegedly due from the son of a local magistrate.
The attorney for the ex-husband, however, says a local judge offered to have someone else hear the case because of the potential conflict of interest. The former husband, Richard Wayne Hamilton, is the son of Vanderburgh Superior Court Magistrate Allen Hamilton.
Superior Judge Robert Pigman, who helps supervise magistrates, said the ex-wife, Suzanne Hebert Hamilton, asked him to decide the dispute over an alleged $25,000 in back child support.
The ex-wife's attorney, Mary Lee Schiff, recently wrote a six-page letter to prosecutors complaining about the way the case is being handled.
Schiff alleges in the letter that the former husband has been permitted to "spend three to four days gambling at Casino Aztar each week, take trips to China and New Orleans, drive an Escalade and, before that, lease a Mustang for $600-plus per month, but he is only ordered to pay $150 in support a week when in fact he is already $24,800.68 behind in support payments."
She also says, "My client is asking why is Rick Hamilton being given so many chances and being treated so special? Why isn't Rick Hamilton being forced to become current with his child support payments or face going to jail? My client is wondering, is it because Rick Hamilton's father is a magistrate working for the Vanderburgh Superior Court?"
The letter was delivered to the Courier & Press by the ex-wife's father, Terry Hebert, a former employee of the newspaper. Suzanne Hebert Hamilton is also a former employee.
Pigman, who is set to review the case in August, said both parties told him about the potential conflict, so he asked them to sign a waiver. In it, they acknowledged the ex-husband's relationship to a court employee.
When asked about the judge's comments and the letter she wrote, Schiff declined to discuss it. When asked why she doesn't move the case to a special judge, she said: "I don't think we have a basis for moving the case."
Scott Danks, the attorney for Richard Hamilton, said the ex-wife is simply being vindictive and wants to embarrass his client.
"The child support is not his father's obligation," Danks said. "He is an adult. If the mother felt the judge was influenced by the fact that his father is a magistrate, she could have had the case transferred out. She chose not to. Pigman doesn't play favorites."
Danks said his client is working to make things right. In less than one year, Danks said, he has sold and turned over all of his assets and surrendered almost 100 percent of his income for the child support.
"This man went one year without paying his child support," he said. "No one condones that, but he was very distraught over the divorce. Once the case was transferred here, and since Judge Pigman got involved, (Richard Hamilton) has paid close to $10,000 in as little as eight months."
Danks said the original support payments were calculated based on Hamilton earning between $80,000 and $90,000 a year, but he said Hamilton no longer has that job, and now works through a temporary service, making "roughly minimum wage."
Danks said the Hamilton divorce is one of the most egregious he's worked on. "I have devoted much less time to murder trials than I have to this contempt citation," Danks said. "His file is at least a foot thick. It's just not right. And now (Hebert Hamilton) wants to get the prosecutor and the press involved."
The couple separated in 2005 and finalized their divorce in February 2006. Hebert Hamilton continues to live in Florida with the couple's two children, ages 7 and 12.
The case came to Pigman last summer, after Schiff filed a motion with Pigman asking the local court to enforce the Florida contempt order.
Pigman has previously ordered Hamilton to serve 170 days in jail for failure to pay, but has deferred that sentence to allow Hamilton to try to make payments.
The case is set for a hearing on Aug. 7 before Pigman to determine whether Hamilton is making adequate progress on his support payments.

Anna Nicole Judge Making News

The hype surrounding Anna Nicole Smith has died down, but that doesn't mean that there isn't news related to the circus that surrounded her death. Judge Larry Seidlin, the judge who famously wept in open Court concerning Ms. Smith's baby girl has resigned from the bench. There have been rumors and speculation that he was in talks to do his own "reality" like television court show, much in the lines of Judge Judy and Divorce Court. He certainly showed that he had a knack for performing, whether his on the bench antics were genuine or not. I think that the showboat mentality that was displayed in his Court room is better suited for television, so if Judge Seidlin is headed for Hollywood, I'm sure his show will get good ratings. Stay Tuned!!!

If you would like to read about Judge Seidlin's resignation, visit: http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/144395.html

Bridge The Gap Alimony Coming To The 5th DCA?

For the longest time, the 5th DCA was the only circuit in all of Florida which did not recognize "bridge-the-gap" alimony. When a person is not entitled rehabilitative or permanent alimony, Judge's allow this type of alimony for a short period of time in order to do equity and justice between the parties. Basically, it allows Judges to award alimony when there is no real statutory way to award a party alimony. In a recent decision, Price v. Price, 2007 Fla. App. LEXIS 3423 (Fla 5th DCA), the Court stated in dicta that they saw no prohibition against awarded bridge-the-gap alimony, and if the right case came before them, they may set precedence on this issue. I like the idea of consistency throughout the circuits, however, I'm still not convinced that there is a legal basis for awarding bridge-the-gap alimony and see it as a tool for the Court's to do what they want in a given case. More and more people are getting stuck with alimony awards in short term marriages, where there really is no basis for such an award. We'll see how this plays out, but I do not doubt that one time in the not so distant future, we may see this issue before the Florida Supreme Court.

Do You Need a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst

There are many different professionals out there who can help you figure out what the best plan is for you financially when you are going through a divorce. Since 80-85% of all divorce cases settle out of court, its important to know how alimony, splitting of pensions, distribution of debts, and other decisions can impact a person's financial future. Sometimes a settlement that looks good on paper can impact your financial future in a way that you did not anticipate. Certified Divorce Financial Analysts are accountants whose special skills can help evaluate financial aspects of your divorce and can help you figure out what the best plan is when drafting a settlement. Here are the top five (5) reasons why you should hire a Divorce Financial Analyst:

1. Financial analysis conducted early in the divorce process can save time.
2. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst ("CDFA") can help their client save money during the divorce process.
3. A CDFA can help their clients to avoid long-term financial pitfalls related to divorce agreements.
4. CDFA's can assist their clients with developing detailed household budgets to help avoid post-divorce financial struggles.
5. Using a CDFA can reduce the amount of apprehension and misunderstanding about the divorce process.

To learn more about CDFA's and whether they can help you in your divorce, visit: https://www.institutedfa.com/#

Adoption law should balance needs of birth fathers in state

The following article can be found at: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN12061207.htm

Florida has seen too many dramas pitting birth father against adoptive parents. It made sense that the Legislature would look for ways to ensure that children have safe, permanent homes free of turmoil. But so far, their efforts haven't worked out. Problems often arise when parents split up before a child is born. A father can lose touch with his former partner -- in many cases, he might not even realize a baby is on the way. In a few cases, birth fathers found out only after adoption proceedings started.
A 2002 law attempting to deal with this problem went much too far. The so-called "scarlet letter law" put the burden on pregnant, single women, ordering them to publish a list of any men who might be the father of their baby before making arrangements to give the child up for adoption. The outrage over that bill was so vehement that the Legislature repealed it at its next opportunity. The replacement law was subtler -- but in a way, almost as bad.
Even before 2002, the state maintained a registry of "putative" fathers -- men who suspect they might have fathered a child and want to register an objection to adoption. But the registry is poorly publicized, and only a few dozen men sign up each year. Under the new law, to assert rights, they must register before a baby is born, and go on to fill out paperwork asserting they're ready and fiscally able to take care of the baby should the birth mother decide to give it up for adoption.
It wasn't long before the new law caused problems. In 2005, a Tampa man learned he was about to become a father. He filed a paternity suit to keep the child from being adopted -- but under the law, that didn't count, because, unaware of it, he didn't sign up with the registry. The baby was immediately adopted, but the court battles over the child's status continue, and reached the Florida Supreme Court last week.
Attorneys for the man, identified in court records as J.A., argued that the cards were stacked against him. The birth mother never tried to provide notice of the pending birth, or warn him that adoption was imminent. As justices were quick to realize, the law provides a heavy incentive for a woman to lie about the identity of her baby's father, or conceal her condition.
The adoption agency countered that argument, claiming that men get notice of potential pregnancy whenever they have sex. That argument doesn't hold water -- obviously, most intimate encounters between unmarried people don't result in pregnancy. It's ridiculous to expect the state to keep paperwork on each one.
No matter what the court decides, the Legislature should revisit this issue. At the least, lawmakers can provide enough funding to have the registry widely publicized. But they should also work harder to recognize the claim of biological fathers, especially those who make attempts to take responsibility for their children but don't know exactly what they need to do.
Prior to 2002, state law required birth mothers to at least demonstrate an attempt to contact their babies' fathers before finalizing an adoption. That might be one element of a solution. But the guiding principle should be fairness, and nobody -- not even the attorney defending the law before the court last week -- could say the current law is fair.
Florida has seen too many dramas pitting birth father against adoptive parents. It made sense that the Legislature would look for ways to ensure that children have safe, permanent homes free of turmoil. But so far, their efforts haven't worked out. Problems often arise when parents split up before a child is born. A father can lose touch with his former partner -- in many cases, he might not even realize a baby is on the way. In a few cases, birth fathers found out only after adoption proceedings started.
A 2002 law attempting to deal with this problem went much too far. The so-called "scarlet letter law" put the burden on pregnant, single women, ordering them to publish a list of any men who might be the father of their baby before making arrangements to give the child up for adoption. The outrage over that bill was so vehement that the Legislature repealed it at its next opportunity. The replacement law was subtler -- but in a way, almost as bad.
Even before 2002, the state maintained a registry of "putative" fathers -- men who suspect they might have fathered a child and want to register an objection to adoption. But the registry is poorly publicized, and only a few dozen men sign up each year. Under the new law, to assert rights, they must register before a baby is born, and go on to fill out paperwork asserting they're ready and fiscally able to take care of the baby should the birth mother decide to give it up for adoption.
It wasn't long before the new law caused problems. In 2005, a Tampa man learned he was about to become a father. He filed a paternity suit to keep the child from being adopted -- but under the law, that didn't count, because, unaware of it, he didn't sign up with the registry. The baby was immediately adopted, but the court battles over the child's status continue, and reached the Florida Supreme Court last week.
Attorneys for the man, identified in court records as J.A., argued that the cards were stacked against him. The birth mother never tried to provide notice of the pending birth, or warn him that adoption was imminent. As justices were quick to realize, the law provides a heavy incentive for a woman to lie about the identity of her baby's father, or conceal her condition.
The adoption agency countered that argument, claiming that men get notice of potential pregnancy whenever they have sex. That argument doesn't hold water -- obviously, most intimate encounters between unmarried people don't result in pregnancy. It's ridiculous to expect the state to keep paperwork on each one.
No matter what the court decides, the Legislature should revisit this issue. At the least, lawmakers can provide enough funding to have the registry widely publicized. But they should also work harder to recognize the claim of biological fathers, especially those who make attempts to take responsibility for their children but don't know exactly what they need to do.
Prior to 2002, state law required birth mothers to at least demonstrate an attempt to contact their babies' fathers before finalizing an adoption. That might be one element of a solution. But the guiding principle should be fairness, and nobody -- not even the attorney defending the law before the court last week -- could say the current law is fair.

Single Men Adopting More Foster Children

I read on usatoday.com about the fact that the number of single men adopting foster children has risen over the past few years. There are many reasons for this, including the strict rules regarding gay couples' ability to adopt in states such as Florida. Foster children are unique in that, they need a place to live now, and if a person qualifies as a foster parent, there is a good chance that those foster children turn into adopted children. While you may agree or disagree with one's sexual preference, often times, a single man, regardless of whether he is gay or straight, can provide a safe, stable and loving environment for children who have been left in the foster care system. While their are challenges for any single parent, its good to see that more and more men are not letting the fact that they are involved with a woman affect their wants to have a child. Taking in a foster child is a good way to ultimately become a parent.

If you would like to read the USAtoday article mentioned above, visit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-14-foster_N.htm

Religion Playing A Role In Fidelity?

A new study asks questions about fidelity and its link to religion. This study offers "evidence" that a person's religion affects whether or not they are faithful to their marriage vows. I think that the study is a bunch of bologna, for lack of a better word. Most people who are faithful are so because its against their moral code, and not because their religion says that it's wrong. There is still a 50% divorce rate, and when people marry they vow to be with someone "until death do us part". If religious people don't get divorced because it is against their religion, I feel that the divorce rate would be much lower. Regardless of what this study states, fidelity is just one of many factors that contribute to the demise of a couple's marriage. While I believe that having a strong faith and having the same moral beliefs as your partner can contribute to the health of a couple's marriage, I'm not sure there is as strong a connection between fidelity and religion as this study may suggest.

If you would like to read about this study, visit: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/225096/3/

Divorce Coach

Divorce the first time around for anyone can be difficult, confusing and hard to deal with. There are hurt feelings, guilt, anger and a number of other different emotions which may keep a couple from focusing on how to get through their divorce to the other side in a financially and emotionally good place. Lawyers can only do so much, and are really on there to help a couple get through the “legal” aspect of divorce. There are many psychotherapists who are focusing their practices on helping people cope with divorce and can even provide a couple with divorce coaching. Their goal is to keep the divorce process respectful and dignified and to help a couple separate the emotional from the financial. If you feel you are in need of a divorce coach, search online or ask your divorce lawyer if they can recommend a therapist who would suit your particular needs.

If you would like to read an article about Divorce Coaching, visit: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,115045.shtml

When Orders Of Protection Don’t Work

I am always troubled by news stories concerning people who are injured or killed by a person for whom they had a valid protective order against. On the CBS Early Show, they discussed a case in which a woman had such a protective order and was killed by her ex-boyfriend, despite the order and numerous reports to the authorities concerning the threats that her ex-boyfriend had made about his intent to kill her. The woman’s family has brought a wrongful death suit against the authorities for their inability to protect the victim. While I sympathize with the family in this case, However, I worry about creating an authority whereby local authorities can be sued for their inability to stop a crime from occurring. Perhaps the best approach is to go to our legislatures and demand stricter rules regarding Protective Orders to insure that the authorities are able to keep a closer eye on those individuals who are likely to commit a violent crime. Under most circumstances Protective Orders are effective in keeping people safe. How we stop those few individuals from violating a Protective Order to commit a violent crime is something that all of us need in the family law arena need to think about.

A Divorce Make-Over

Once a divorce is final, a person can be left feeling as if they don’t have an identity. Additionally, they may feel unsure as to what their next step is and may feel too vulnerable and self-conscious to even think about stepping into the dating world. I have stated numerous times in my blog that there are two different “divorces” occurring when a couple decides to dissolve their marriage. There is the emotional divorce and the legal divorce. They are connected, but the emotional divorce has implications that last long after the legal divorce is finalized. If you feel you are in need of assistance in getting your life back on track after your divorce, there are a number of different resources out there to help you out. One such resource can be found on ivillage.com with the help of Dr. Gail Saltz, who can help you complete a Divorce Make-Over. To read Dr. Saltz’ helpful suggestions, visit her blog at http://gailsaltz.ivillage.com/health/?par=today,wb.

Divorce Less Likely to Have Impact on Presidential Candidate Than 40 Years Ago

With the 2008 Presidential election heating up, it is just a matter of time before each candidates' marital status is brought into question. Whether it is Hilary Clinton's tolerance for President Clinton's extramarital activities or Rudy Guiliani's divorce, I'm sure that all of the candidates who have had news worthy marital issues will face scrutiny from the media and American public. Some argue that this scrutiny is a result of the more widely accepted divorce standard and that candidates even forty years ago had extramarital activities that their wives and the news media turned a blind eye to. Today, the media is giving the American public what they want to hear and that's dirt on the most public of figures. Whether or not this is due to the fact that divorce is more accepted today than in previous generations is still up for debate. However, in my opinion, I'm not sure those who are good in marriage, necesseraily correlate to being good as President, so a person's marital issues should not have any bearing on whether or not you should vote for them.

If you would like to read an article concerning divorce, adultery, Presidential elections and hte media, see the following site: www.capitolhillblue.com/cont/node/2599

Joint Parenting Software

I am always looking for new and better ways for couples to make co-parenting work. It used to be that the non-residential parent only had visitations with his/her children on an every other weekend basis. Now, more and more couples are attempting rotating custody or the non-residential parent has weekly visitations, which make schedules hectic and hard to keep track of. I stumbled across a website www.jointparents.com while reading a blog published on an Oklahoma Family Law Blog. This tool helps parents stay organized and gives them a place to communicate with one another about their children. There are calendars, diaries, expense charts and other tools which can assist parents and keep everyone on the same page. If it is something that you are using, please post your comments here. If you are not yet using www.jointparents.com, visit the website to determine whether it is something that can work for you.

Thank you to Dan Nunley for introducing me to this tool. His blog can be found at http://oklahomafamilylawblog.typepad.com/oklahoma_family_law_blog/2007/05/coparenting_too.html

Working Women More Likely To Stay Married?

I'm always amazed at all of the studies there are out there about marriage and divorce. There is a new study that suggests that women who work outside the home are more likely to stay married. They attribute this to a lot of different things including the fact that women who work are contributing to the household income, so are more often equal decision makers when it comes to finances. I would say that a majority of my cases involve women who work outside the home and I think that this latest study down plays the issues and problems that may arise when both couples are working 80 hours a week and not able to devote the necessary time and attention to their family and household. I would be interested to see whether the findings are the same if you polled couples who both had demanding jobs or mothers who are forced into the workforce because of economic necessity.

If you would like to read the article concerning this marital study, visit: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/06/03/news/business/60-wives.txt

Marriage Counseling At Work

There is no question that a stressful and demanding job can take a toll on a marriage. Many men and women are accused of being married to their job rather than their spouse. Often times bosses are not sensitive to the fact that a person is experiencing some marital woes, which can sometimes lead to divorce. Some companies are offering programs to help people strengthen their marriages and other personal relationships. While this trend may be a result of companies realizing that people with marital stress and problems tend to be not as productive as they could be if their marriages were happy, it is still a good thing and something that all people should take advantage of if available. Anything that helps build stronger marriages and relationships is never a bad thing.

If you would like to read the article upon which this blog is based, visit: http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/0531biz-marriagejob31-ON.html

Judicial Behavior Under Scrutiny

In January, I wrote a blog about Judge Hauser, who was a domestic relations sectional circuit judge here in Orange County, and the circumstances surrounding his divorce. It seems that Judge Hauser's life is under scrutiny again, as a woman has come forward to claim that she was a victim of Judge Hauser's unwanted sexual advances. The Judicial Qualifications Committee is investigating Judge Hauser, and may order that sanctions be assessed for his alleged unethical behavior. The question for me is not whether or not the woman making the accusations is telling the truth about the unwanted sexual advances, but why a judge had put himself into such a situation in the first place. Judge's, like all of us, are human. However, we hold them up to a different moral standard than other's because we are looking to them to make decisions about our lives, especially in the context of domestic relations. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, but I hope that we do not read about any other judge whose behavior is being considered to be unethical by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Committee.

If you would like to read the latest story about Judge Hauser, visit: http://www.bradenton.com/331/story/63498.html