Complaint Review: (((NAME(S) REDACTED DUE TO PERCEIVED HARASSMENT / CYBERSTALKING / CYBERBULLYING / REVENGE POST))) - (((NAME(S) REDACTED DUE TO PERCEIVED HARASSMENT / CYBERSTALKING / CYBERBULLYING / REVENGE POST))) Colorado

Everyone says there are two sides to every story. Court is your chance to tell yours. Plenty of people want their “day in court” for, they say, just that purpose. (That is rarely true. Most litigants want what they think is justice, or, in business litigation, to win money or to lose less of it.) As an attorney, it is in fact your job to tell your client’s story in the best way possible and in accordance with the rules of procedure and evidence. Those rules aim to make the storytelling process a fair one, and they roughly work. But the litigation process can be long, and the journey to your client’s day in court requires you, as the attorney, to tell many stories along the way—often without formal rules to govern you or, more importantly, to govern your opposing attorney.

More often than I’d like to admit, I have found myself standing in court dumbfounded by opposing counsel’s recitation of facts and events. As a newer attorney, I often felt uncertain how to respond to these more seasoned attorneys who spoke with such authority. I knew that what they said was not exactly what happened, but they spoke in a way that sounded right. For example, an opposing attorney might tell the court a story about our discovery process and what led to the motion to compel he filed. He tells a story about how I did not return his calls, or refused to cooperate, or took a position that was untenable. And it is not true. But he tells it with such force and calmness, I begin to wonder if I’m wrong, if perhaps I made a mistake and did not conduct the process correctly. There is so much pressure to be right—felt so keenly at all stages of our careers—and so much potential to make a mistake, it becomes easy to doubt ourselves and wonder if we did screw up.

We didn’t screw up. We got gaslit.

“Gaslighting” is a manipulation tactic made famous in the 1930s stage play and 1944 suspense thriller Gaslight. In the movie, the woman, played by Ingrid Bergman, marries a man who quickly embarks on a campaign to make her distrust herself and her perception of reality—and ultimately to make her feel crazy. He does this as a way to disempower her, so he can find and steal her valuable family jewels. He makes the (gas)lights dim and brighten inexplicably. He makes noises in the attic, moves paintings, and generally changes, subtly but effectively, her surroundings. He denies that any of it occurred and tries to make her distrust her experience, herself, and, ultimately, her sanity.

Mental health professionals recognize gaslighting as an abusive, even bullying, tactic, more often used against women than men.

Effective gaslighting can be accomplished in several different ways. Sometimes, a person can assert something with such an apparent intensity of conviction that the other person begins to doubt their own perspective. Other times, vigorous and unwavering denial coupled with a display of righteous indignation can accomplish the same task. Bringing up historical facts that seem largely accurate but contain minute, hard-to-prove distortions and using them to “prove” the correctness of one’s position is another method. Gaslighting is particularly effective when coupled with other tactics such as shaming and guilting. Anything that aids in getting another person to doubt their judgment and back down will work.

George Simon, “Gaslighting as a Manipulation Tactic: What It Is, Who Does It, and Why,” Counseling Resource(Nov. 8, 2011).

In litigation, the attempt to control the narrative can sometimes bleed into a form of gaslighting that undermines less-seasoned attorneys. An older attorney will tell the court, in a calm and culturally credible manner, a version of events that so differs from your recollection that you may begin to doubt yourself and fumble in your response. Often, there is a kernel of truth to his story or parts of it, but minute distortions create a false impression that disfavors you, your client, or your case, and that makes you doubt all of the above.

This is a normal experience. You did not make a mistake. You can trust yourself and your experience. You can respond and maintain your story, your credibility, and your confidence. Here are some suggestions.

Know the Facts

This is always the first piece of advice. Unless you have the confidence and uncanny ability to wing it (and even then), prepare yourself for every hearing by refamiliarizing yourself with the procedural history, the facts that are known, the facts that are unknown, and your communications with opposing counsel. You cannot respond to a narrative unless you know the competing narrative. Do not expect the court, or opposing counsel, to know or understand the case the way you do. Study the docket. Review your prior communications with counsel—print them out and make a timeline if you need to. Reread the pleadings and the briefs. Identify what is known and what is not known. If it is a discovery dispute, study the communications that led to the dispute. If you know the facts, you can tell your story and correct any distortions.

Use Your Emotions Wisely

Be the reasonable one. The court is looking not only at the merits of the dispute, but often, either intentionally or subconsciously, also at the relationship between counsel. It behooves each attorney to present herself as the professional, communicative, and reasonable one, and when appropriate to paint the other side as uncooperative, uncommunicative, deceptive, or otherwise unprofessional. Older attorneys will calmly tell the court a story in which you were unreasonable: “She has never raised this argument before, Your Honor,” even though you had in a phone call or email; “I would have been happy to resolve this issue directly with opposing counsel without involving the court,” even though you had left him an unreturned message on the issue; “she did not provide us enough time to engage our expert or respond to this issue,” even though you had.

You will become indignant and exasperated. You should. But do not show it. No matter how angry you may feel, stay calm and speak respectfully of your opposing counsel—even when pointing out errors he has made or unprofessional conduct he has engaged in. Your endgame is to present yourself as professional, calm, prepared, and correct.

Preserve Your Record

Litigation is about both the finish line and the journey to it. You certainly need to know and understand the primary issues in your case and what will be important to prove or disprove at trial (or summary judgment), but you also need to engage meaningfully and attentively with the communications and negotiations along the way. This includes pretrial conferences; meet-and-confers regarding discovery issues; communicating with opposing counsel about the case schedule; arranging site visits; attending depositions; providing documents; serving the right people; and more. The most effective method of preserving your record is:

1. Be respectful in every single conversation and email.
2. Respond to all communications within 24 hours. Do not be afraid to call someone back if you do not know what she wants or what you will say. The most important thing is to respond; if you need to say “I don’t know yet, let me look into it and I will get back to you,” that is perfectly fine.
3. If you reach an agreement as to any issue on the telephone, follow up with a confirming email. “It was good talking to you today. Thank you for agreeing to extend the plaintiff’s deadline for serving documents to [date].” “I am writing to confirm our conversation today that you will provide us with your list of deponents by [date].” Do this every single time.

This approach not only ensures that you have created a record you can defend, it also undermines any attempt opposing counsel might make to distort the record—how can he, when you’ve created and preserved it?—or to paint you as the unreasonable one. When you do this, opposing counsel is almost always constrained to adhere to the narrative you have created. I have even had opposing counsel begrudgingly admit to the judge in chambers that I was “direct” and “professional”; this strengthened my credibility in a small-town court where I was the outsider, opposing counsel knew the judge socially, and I was the young woman in a room of older men. In contrast, when you fail to preserve the record, opposing counsel can convince the court that your “unresponsiveness” and “lack of cooperation” was the reason everyone had to come to court in the first place. (He’ll be wrong, but you have not preserved the record.)

Correct the Record

You will feel compelled to correct the record, and you should. The danger of correcting the record is that you may veer off course from the important issues and become defensive about what likely are smaller issues not actually relevant to the case. The most undermining aspect of gaslighting is its focus on the “little things” that seem too small to warrant attention but that effectively erode our confidence. Dimmed lights become a failure to cooperate. (“I offered several dates for deposition, but opposing counsel only agreed to one.”) A moved picture becomes a failure to provide information. (“They have never explained why these documents are relevant.”) These seemingly little things are not the point of the hearing, but they create a subversive narrative. Responding point-for-point, however, risks diverting the court’s attention from the primary issues before it or conveying a defensive, protesting approach that belies your true professional nature.

There are various ways to handle this. For me, the most effective method is to tell the court calmly, but forcefully, that opposing counsel is wrong, but we have bigger fish to fry. For example:

• “We have a different recollection of our conversations.”
• “I appreciate counsel’s position, but mine is different.”
• “Counsel and I differ as to how we got here today—I did provide notice, etc., and I’m happy to provide details if that would be helpful—but the real issue here is [the subject of the actual dispute].”
• “I am somewhat surprised at counsel’s recitation of facts/history/communications. My recollection of them is very different, but I do not want to distract from why we are really here today.”

Trust Yourself

Trust yourself. Recognize what they are doing and stay calm. If you know your case, preserved your record, and know why you’re in court today, you are armed. You will correct the record as appropriate and return focus to the important issues for the court and your case. You have prepared and you know what you are doing.

    Premium Content For:

Dear Lisa Ling, 

I am a supporter of The Women’s Coalition and also I support a wonderful group out of California called California Protective Parents and I am writing to encourage you to look at the valid research with regards to your current investigation of alienated fathers. The “alienated fathers” you filmed last week for your “This Is Life” series likely gave you false and misleading information about “alienation” and other problems in the family court system.

These “alienated fathers” claim judges routinely believe false reports of abuse made by women and children and issue unnecessary restraining orders against them, empowering women to alienate children from good fathers. In fact, that is rare and the only epidemic in Family Court is judges falsely accusing women of alienating (i.e. lying) when they report real abuse and switching custody to the father. Women and children are being endangered daily and devastated emotionally and financially in family courts around the country and the world.

The “alienated fathers” agenda is to get mandatory equal parenting and mediation laws enacted, which make it even harder for women to protect themselves and their children. If you air their misinformation and mislead the public into supporting these laws, you will be contributing to the oppression of women and the endangerment of children.

We hope that after hearing from all of us, you will see how pervasive and damaging this form of discrimination is and will help raise awareness by doing a story on the real epidemic. Please contact The Women’s Coalition for valid research, countless case examples, and more information about the crisis.

 Also please contact the California Protective Parents Association for valid and up to date research.  No protective mother should be continued to be demonized by suggesting that fathers are the only victims in clearly a "family court crisis in America".  Our children are the real victims.  Thank you

Supporting Research:

http://www.womenscoalitioninternational.org/research.html

California Protective Parents Association 

Why I wrote “The Generous Prenup: How to Support Your Marriage and Avoid the Pitfalls”     

by Laurie Israel

May 2018

As some of you may know, I spent a good part of the past 3 years writing a book about prenups.

Our mediation (and law) practices sometimes take interesting turns. I started out as a tax lawyer, and then morphed into a general practice lawyer, concentrating on family law and estate planning. I’ve been practicing for a little over 30 years.

About 10 years ago, after representing a number clients in prenup negotiations, I wrote an article called “Ten Things I Hate about Prenuptial Agreements” and posted it online. This was during the relative infancy of the World Wide Web.  Because the article was written by a lawyer, and because it struck a chord with many people who had faced or were facing a prenup, it more or less went viral. People are still reading it today and contacting me. 

This caused more clients to seek me out for prenup representation, and I started building more expertise. That’s what “practicing law” is. I sure got a lot of practice! I represented both the less-moneyed spouses concerned about their futures, as well as the more-moneyed spouses who (generally) wanted to be fair and supportive of the other future spouse. My clients understood that a prenup could be detrimental to their marriage, and wanted to avoid that result. 

About eight years ago I started working with both parties seeking a prenup as a mediator, which worked wonderfully in most cases. I’d send them to reviewing attorneys once the term sheet was settled through mediation. 

I continued to have very negative experiences representing less-moneyed spouses, especially when the prenup was the idea of the “shadow parties.” These are usually the parents of the more-moneyed future spouse. Usually the parents required the prenup, and pretty much set the terms. This put their child in a terrible situation – the child would have to go against their parents, or not act in the best interests of the future partner. 

Worsening the situation, often the attorney representing the more-moneyed future spouse was the business lawyer or estate planning lawyer of the parents. As a result, that lawyer generally didn’t function truly independently on behalf of his or her client. This was a very bad situation causing much heartache and suffering in prenup negotiations. These prenup attorneys often brooked no compromise, and it almost always ended up badly for the less-moneyed future spouse. 

I started getting very interested in writing a full-length a book (rather than the articles I had been posting on the internet) that would explain the problems inherent in prenups (both in process and in content), and how they have the potential effect of destabilizing marriages.

I started the process by formulating a comprehensive a book proposal with chapter descriptions. I followed the chapter descriptions as I was writing, and 3 years later (after much research and many revisions) I ended up with a 21-chapter book, plus an introduction. 

The real surprise is that I enjoyed writing the book, from beginning to end!  I was motivated, I guess by wanting to reduce the suffering I’d seen with people who are trying to enter into a prenup. I wanted to change that dynamic, and move the needle towards a process and a result that would help a couple, rather than hurt them.

I wanted to influence the way lawyers tend to think about prenups. After all, in my practice, I found that a prenup can be generous and fair to the less-moneyed spouse, while still providing certainty and reasonable protection to the more-moneyed spouse.

Too many lawyers are concerned with asset protection to the detriment of the health of the upcoming marriage. Isn’t part of giving good counsel to a client trying to find a prenup solution that would improve and support that upcoming marriage? Unfortunately, many attorneys still don’t view it this way. A prenup can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for divorce.  

I also wanted to highlight how useful the mediation process is when a couple set the terms of their prenup directly, face-to-face, with the help of a neutral third-party mediator.

My book is quite comprehensive. It’s for the (very smart) general public, but will also be a very good resource for lawyers and mediators. It strongly promotes mediation as the best way to start the process in many cases. It has chapters on prenups for wealthy people, estate planning prenups, prenups for people with businesses, “gray” prenups for second marriages, LGBT prenups, immigration prenups, the question of alimony in prenups, and a chapter about the factors that make prenups enforceable, and factors that make them unenforceable. (They usually are enforceable, so if you sign one, assume it will be in force 40 years from now.)

Because so many areas of law are described, The Generous Prenup will be very useful to a non-attorney mediator who would like to learn more about the law of divorce and inheritance.  The book is national in scope, but since I am a Massachusetts lawyer, it’s full of Massachusetts law, including case law.

The Generous Prenup discusses the drawbacks to prenups, and how to make both parties happy. There is a chapter on postnuptial agreements for couples who want to try to stay together. I call that chapter “The Postnup: A Powerful Tool to Be Handled with Care” Because I think postnups are fraught with dangers. There are chapters about how to choose an attorney or mediator, and how to begin the process.

If you’re getting a prenup most times (but not always) one of the parties has some present (or future) wealth. But how much wealth is enough? Why not share some of it over time with your spouse? Unfortunately, many prenups have no sharing of “separate property” whatsoever, except at the choice of the more-moneyed spouse. 

My book suggests that sharing can be written into the prenup. For instance, income generated by “separate property” (or part of it) could become shared “marital property” immediately or over time.  The same with increases in value of “separate property,” or a percentage of it, and even for the value of “separate property” itself. Participation in the joint venture of marriage (including the financial side of marriage) is extremely important to the health of a marriage in most cases.

I tried to make the book interesting, and I’ve included many interesting facts and some good jokes. Here are a few:

·       There is a prenup from 1995 that required the parties to engage in “healthy sex” three to five times per week.

·       Donald Trump married Ivana subject to a prenup. Sometime after the marriage, he initiated a postnuptial agreement to benefit Ivana because, as he said, “I thought it was appropriate. I was upwardly mobile.”

·       Mark Zuckerberg got married the day after the IPO of Facebook. The reason for the timing of the marriage was likely to establish Facebook’s value at the time of the marriage.

·       Alimony laws in Texas give it the reputation as the “wife-dumping” state, and give new meaning to the lyrics of the Tammy Wynette song, “Stand By Your Man.”

·       A gay journalist said as he was contemplating the possibility that he and his partner would enter into a legal marriage, “Nor could I add up the hours my partner and I spent eyeing marriage as if it were a fat slug on the carpet that we needed to deal with but didn’t really want to touch.”

·       In discussing the definition of “unconscionability,” I was able to quote Justice Potter Stewart’s famous line in Jacobellis v. Ohio, about the definition of obscenity, in which he said, “. . . I know it when I see it.”

·       And here’s a joke that I put in the lifestyle prenup chapter: 

A couple in their 70s is negotiating a prenup. The future wife says, “If we divorce I want to keep the house.” He says, “That’s OK with me.” she says, “I want to keep the Rolls-Royce.” He says, “That’s OK with me.” then she says, “And while we are married, I want to have sexual relations six times a week.” And he says, “Put me down for Fridays.”

There’s lots of serious stuff in The Generous Prenup too.  It is almost a primer on all the areas of law impacting prenups and postnups. You’ll learn a lot about estate planning, divorce laws in various states, community property versus equitable distribution, the uniform laws on prenups, estate planning techniques useful in prenups, whether spouses are responsible for each other’s debts, what happens when you marry without one, and many other topics. 

I try to explain these things clearly and simply. One of the people providing advance praise for the book said in part, “. . . the author has a knack for explaining complex legal issues in plain English, with useful examples drawn from her work as a lawyer and mediator.”

The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers as an eBook and a softcover print book. To learn more about the book, you can visit my author website www.laurieisrael.com. I’ve posted the table of contents and the complete index on the site, as well as several excerpts from the book.

The next part of my job is launching the book. I’ve been surprised to find that this is an adventure and is actually kind of fun to do. I hope you like the book, and find it useful in your mediation practices.

He said “in many countries, the culture of the legal profession tends to bring out the worst in some people – adversarialism, competitiveness, ambition, ‘alpha’ type personalities, long working hours and over-tiredness, financial pressures and business risks, lack of work/life balance, and sub-optimal inter-personal skills.”

lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/24234-iba-43-of-lawyers-bullied-and-25-sexually-harassed?fbclid=IwAR3rpVSIJynGBKb--fOTB3WjQLNmXcrc76y6DYMW698XybQq_ph283MuNL4

October 17, 2018

Dear Ms. Atwood,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about immigrant families being separated at the border. Your thoughts on this important matter are valuable to me. 

As you may know, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the U.S. would maintain a “zero tolerance” policy when addressing illegal immigration. This policy included referring all individuals caught crossing our borders illegally for criminal prosecution.

Additionally, those individuals caught smuggling a child into the country are immediately separated from that child, as required by law, to ensure there is no sign of human trafficking. This policy dates to the 1997 court case  Flores v Reno , which produced the “the Flores Settlement.” This court-approved consent decree requires the government to release children apprehended at the border from detention facilities to parents, adult relatives, or licensed foster programs to prevent inhumane treatment.

Additionally, the settlement agreement limits the amount of time children that cannot be released to family members or foster homes can be detained, and instead instructs that these children be held in the least restrictive setting possible. This change was intended to treat children humanely and keep them out of criminal detention facilities. Congress then codified the need to transfer children to the least restrictive setting possible within 72 hours in the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

Furthermore, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2016 that all children apprehended after crossing into the United States must be released from immigration detention facilities within 20 days. Unfortunately, enforcing this policy resulted in immigrant families being separated.

The separation of children from their parents is devastating. Congress must reform our immigration system so that the incentives for parents to expose their children to these dangers are no longer present. President Trump has signed an Executive Order that ends all practices that led to the separation of illegal immigrant families at the border, but ultimately it is Congress’ responsibility to craft a permanent legislative solution.

Like you, I believe our current immigration system is broken and as a result, poses a risk to national and economic security. Congress owes it to Americans to get these issues settled, which is why I co-sponsored and voted for the Securing America’s Future Act. Unfortunately this bill failed when it came up for a vote on June 21, but I hold a continued dedication to working with my colleagues to solve this problem. 

Thank you for contacting me about this critically important issue. I invite you to stay in touch with me in the future regarding any issues on which I may be of assistance. It is truly an honor to serve as your United States Representative.

Sincerely,

 

Ken Buck

Member of Congress

Study Examines Ethical Violations in Child Custody Evaluations

Being away from your child is never easy. If you are not the custodial parent, you can sometimes feel you are being forced out of their life against your will.

Due to the influence of the long-dead Tender Years Presumption, family law courts still tend to favor women over man when deciding child custody. Despite efforts being made to install shared parenting presumptions, unless proven otherwise, mothers still receive preferential treatment in the decisions, affecting fathers and their relationships with their parents.

These issues, along with many others that affect fathers and the amount of time that they get to spend with their children, are ethical concerns that many feel need to be addressed. This starts with the court-appointed child custody evaluators assigned to cases and the focus of many ethical issues.

Child custody evaluations

A study from Alliant International University that was published in the Journal of Child Custody examined what can and does go wrong in child custody evaluations and the ethical problems that can arise.

The study brings up several ethical concerns that many who have dealt with child custody evaluations have. One of the most important concerns that many have is regarding competence. The study states that child custody evaluators need to conduct an initial screen or obtain the necessary information to assess whether or not they are competent to complete the evaluation.

Removal and concerns

There are a variety of reasons why a child custody evaluator would remove themselves from a case. If the evaluator believes that the case would benefit from psychological testing that they are not equipped or qualified to do, they would need to refer that part of the evaluation to a competent professional and consult with the psychologist to understand the outcomes and how to incorporate the outcomes into the overall findings.

If a case requires a high level of cultural concerns, the evaluator would need to make sure that they have access to an interpreter, knowledge of that culture, and the ability to consult with experts of that culture.

If a case involves allegations of neglect, family violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, or partner abuse, attorneys are more likely to ask for a child custody evaluation. The evaluator would need to familiarize themselves with the laws of the state, in regards to the issue. The researchers stress that merely taking one or two workshops on the topic does not qualify someone to have expertise to evaluate these types of cases.

If these and other similar concerns are not addressed, the evaluator would need to recuse themselves from the given case. Understanding every facet of the given case means that you can provide an educated judgment when called upon, and that requires competency.

Consent and assent

Another concern that is important to monitor is regarding informed consent and assent. When a child custody evaluator makes initial contact, extensive information needs to be outlined to both sides regarding their qualifications and role, limits of confidentiality, policies, fees, and procedures.

Those meeting with a court-appointed child custody evaluator need to understand that anything they say, in response to their questions, could be put into a report that is shared with the judge and court.

While the evaluator has the ability to put what is said into the report, they are required to provide consent and assent forms for each person involved to sign. According to a study published in the Professional Psychology: Research and Practice journal, 75 percent of evaluators overlook providing consent and assent forms to sign and do not document the informed consent and assent process in their reports.

This limits both parties in the child custody situation from understanding the limits of confidentiality and how it varies from the standard limits of patient-therapist-confidentiality.

Interview and protection

During the interview process, the evaluators are required to be nonjudgmental, neutral, and familiar with the case and documents. They should be focused on assessing several variables that could relate to current parenting attributes. Additionally, children older than the age of five should be interviewed by the evaluator. Both the interview with the child and the interview with the parents have the potential to go poorly if the evaluator does not follow their guidelines.

These guidelines create the necessary parameters for the child custody evaluation process, aiding the court in making an informed decision. However, if it is not properly handled by a professional dedicated to seeing the child placed in the best situation possible, these guidelines can help mask any errors or improper actions taken during the evaluation process.

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Organizations to Contact regarding maltreatment of a Child

When CPS Fails. When Family Court fails to recognize abuse.

Organizations Concerned with Child Maltreatment

ABA Center on Children and the Law 

740 15th St., NW 

Washington, DC 20005 

PHONE: (202) 662-1720 

(800) 285-2221 (Service Center) 

FAX: (202) 662-1755 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.abanet.org/child

Promotes improvement of laws and policies affecting children and provides education in child-related law.

Abuse and Survival: Guidance and Help for Sexual Assault VictimsThis site provides a well organized index of links to sites dealing  with rape, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, prevention, etc.

The Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence has relased report Defending Childhood

Executive Summary  |  Full Report

American Academy of Child & Adoescent PsychiatryThe AACAP is a non-profit organization established in 1953. It is a membership based organization, composed of child and adolescent psychiatrists and other interested physicians. Its members actively research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and pride themselves on giving direction to and responding quickly to new developments in addressing the health care needs of children and their families.American Humane Association 

Children's Division 

63 Inverness Dr., East 

Englewood, CO 80112-5117 

PHONE: (800) 227-4645 

(303) 792-9900 

FAX: (303) 792-5333 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.americanhumane.orgConducts research, analysis, and training to help public and private agencies respond to child maltreatment.American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 

407 South Dearborn St., Suite 1300 

Chicago , IL60605 

PHONE: (312) 554-0166 

FAX: (312) 554-0919 

URL: http://www.apsac.orgAPSAC's mission is to ensure that everyone affected by child maltreatment receives the best possible professional response. This organization has many useful scholarly and clinical materials focused primarily at the professional audience. Provides professional education, promotes research to inform effective practice, and addresses public policy issues.

American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI)

99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 510

Alexandria, VA   22314 

Telephone: 703-549-9222

Fax: 703-836-3195

Email: [email protected]APRI as a non-profit research and program development resource for prosecutors at all levels of government. It is a national clearinghouse for information on the prosecutorial function.

The American Psychiatric AssociationThe American Psychological AssociationAPA Division of Trauma Psychology.

A division of the American Psychological Association

http://www.apatraumadivision.orgThe Division of Trauma Psychology, was established in 2006 by a joint effort of researchers, clinicians, educators, and public policy experts with an interest in the psychological effects of trauma. This division provides a forum for scientific research, professional and public education, and the exchange of collegial support for professional activities related to traumatic stress.

The Angela Shelton Foundation

The Angela Shelton Foundation was born out of the amazing response from the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton. With the intent of surveying women in America, Shelton drove around the country and met other Angela Sheltons. She found that 70% of the 40 Angelas she spoke to had been victims of rape, childhood sexual abuse or domestic violence, herself included.

This site seeks to create and maintain a user-friendly online site that provides the resources needed to help survivors heal. In answer to the thousands of emails, Angela has started an online Survivor Manual with new entries weekly. There is also an email list with updates about the Angela Shelton Foundation.

Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers

4900 S.W. Griffith Drive, Suite 274 

Beaverton, Oregon 97005 

Phone: (503) 643-1023 

E-mail: [email protected]ATSA is an international professional association which strives to improve techniques for the evaluation and treatment of sex offenders. Publishes Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment which provides a forum for the latest original research and scholarly reviews on both clinical and theoretical aspects of sexual abuse.

Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental HealthFeatures a set of fact sheets and articles related to PTSD.

The Awareness Center, Inc. -  

The Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA) 

P.O. Box 65273 

Baltimore, MD 21209 

443-857-5560

The Awareness Center is a nonprofit group that addresses the issue and ramifications of sexual victimization to both adults and children in Jewish Communities.

David Baldwin's Trauma Info PagesDavid Baldwin's listing of Web resources on clinical and research aspects of trauma responses and their resolution.

The Center for the Protection of Children 

988 River Road 

Piscataway, NJ 08854

Phone: 732-878-1409 

Fax: 732-878-1357

The CPC is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to protecting children from risk of exposure to sexual, emotional and physical domestic violence. It seeks to advance the welfare of children who are at risk or who may become at risk or are the subject of court proceedings by providing: clinical services and evaluations for such children and their families; child protection training to attorneys, advocates, judges, magistrates, legal and medical staff involved in such cases; and expert witness services for the purpose of educating finders of fact and law about child protection.

The Center for the Study and Prevention of ViolenceThe CSPV researchs the causes of violence and the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs, and offers technical assistance for the evaluation and development of violence prevention  programs.

Child Abuse Forensic Institute 

P.O. Box 6403 

1125 Jefferson Street 

Napa, CA 

94581-6403 

(707) 226-6675The Child Abuse Forensic Institute (CAFI) is a nonprofit institute that focuses on helping people navigate the legal system when child abuse is at issue. CAFI has access to experienced independent associates throughout the country to handle all aspects of a child abuse court case for anyone affected, including abused children, protective parents, and the accused. Through their network, representation is available in all aspects of allegations, including, but not limited to, dependency, family law, guardian ad litem, amicus, criminal law, and personal injury.

Childhelp USA

15757 North 78th St. 

Scottsdale , AZ85260 

PHONE: (800) 4-A-CHILD 

(800) 2-A-CHILD (TDD line) 

(480) 922-8212 

FAX: (480) 922-7061 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.childhelpusa.orgProvides crisis counseling to adult survivors and child victims of child abuse, offenders, and parents. Operates national hotline.The ChildTrauma AcademyThe ChildTrauma Academy is a unique collaborative of individuals and organizations working to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research and education. These efforts are in partnership with the public and private systems that are mandated to protect, heal and educate children. The work of the Academy has been supported, in part, by grants from Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, the Children's Justice Act, the Court Improvement Act and through innovative partnerships with academic and corporate partners such as Powered, Inc., Scholastic, Inc. and Digital Consulting and Software Services.

Child Trend Data BankThis Data Bank is a user-friendly site providing continuously updated trend data with the latest national estimates on child and youth well-being. It currently provides over 70 indicators of health, social and emotional development, income and work, education, demographics, and family and community.

Child Welfare Information GatewayA service of the Children's Bureau , Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Visit often for the latest on a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption.

Children's Bureau - Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesNational resource for professionals seeking information on the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse.

Children's Defense Fund (CDF) 

25 E St., NW 

Washington , DC 20001 

PHONE: (202) 628-8787 

FAX: (202) 662-3540 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.childrensdefense.orgProvides technical assistance to State and local child advocates, gathers and disseminates data on children, and advocates for children's issues.

DART Center for Journalism and TraumaResources for Journalists covering stories of a traumatic nature.

End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT)ECPAT is a network of organisations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes. It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation.

The European Society for Traumatic Stress StudiesInformation on the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institue (FVSAI)International resource center in the areas of family violence, child maltreatment, sexual assault, and spouse/partner abuse. Publishes Family Violence & Sexual Assault Bulletin.

FindLawProvides information on a wide range of legal subjects including legal news, information about cases and codes.

Dr. Richard Gartner's websiteDr. Gartner is a psychologist and psychoanalyst who specializes in the treatment of sexually abused men. Dr. Gartner is the author of several articles and books including Betrayed as Boys . Many of Dr. Gartner's  articles are reprinted on the "Writings" page of this website.

Gift From WithinA nonprofit organization which distributes educational materials to survivors of trauma, contains articles and resources related to trauma and PTSD.

HealthGradesThis site provides ratings of hospitals, hospices, physicians, nursing homes, home health agencies, health care plans (HMOs, PPOs, & other), dentists, chiropractors, mammography facilities, birth centers, fertility clinics, naturopathic physicians, assisted living residences, etc. 

The hospital ratings show both objective data (e.g., survival rates for each procedure) and subjective data (e.g., patient satisfaction ratings) for the hospital.  Hospitals can be selected by name, by state or zip code, by procedure or diagnosis, etc.

Human Rights Watch

1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 

Washington , DC 20009 

Phone: (202) 612-4321 

Fax: (202) 612-4333 

E-mail: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.hrw.orgHuman Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organization, dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. It seeks to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice.

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation

8400 Westpark Drive, Second Floor, 

McLean, VA 22102 

Telephone: 703/610-9037

Fax: 703/610-0234  

E-mail: [email protected] 

http://www.isst-d.org/A not-for-profit professional organization promoting research and training in the identification, treatment, and prevention of dissociative disorders.

International Society for Traumatic Stress StudiesThe International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), founded in 1985, is a membership organization that provides a forum for the sharing of research, clinical strategies, public policy concerns and theoretical formulations on trauma in the United States and around the world.

Justice for Children 

2600 Southwest Freeway, Suite 806 

Houston, TX 77098 

Phone: 1-800-733-0059 

URL: http://www.jfcadvocacy.org/Justice for Children is a national non-profit organization which advocates for children's rights and protection from abuse through public education, development of effective intervention and prevention strategies, and legal advocacy.

Lamplighters, Peer support for adult survivors of child sexual abuse, victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. Emphasizes the importance of repairing the damage.

National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds (ACT)The National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds initiates and engages in national efforts that assist state Children's Trust and Prevention Funds in strengthening families to prevent child abuse and neglect. This includes promoting and supporting a system of services, laws, practices, and attitudes that supports families by enabling them to provide their children with a safe, healthy, and nurturing childhood.National Association of Child AdvocatesFounded in 1984, NACA is a nationwide network of nonpartisan, multi-issue child advocacy organizations. The NACA is the only national organization devoted to building the capacity of state and local child advocacy organizations.National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)

825 Marion Street, Suite 340

Denver, CO 80218

Phone: 1-888-828-NACC

E-mail: [email protected]NACC is a non-profit professional membership organization dedicated to quality representation and protection of children in the legal system. Their mission is to improve the lives of children and families through legal advocacy. The NACC provides training and technical assistance to attorneys and other professionals, serves as a public information and professional referral center, and engages in public policy and legislative advocacy.

The NACC Amicus Curiae Program promotes the legal interests of children through the filing of amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs in state and federal appellate courts.

National Center for Children Exposed to Violence 

at Yale University 

Child Study Center 

230 South Frontage Road 

P.O. Box 207900 

New Haven, CT 06520-7900 

Telephone: (877) 496-2238

Facsimile: (203) 785-4608 

Email: [email protected]

The mission of the NCCEV is to increase the capacity of individuals and communities to reduce the incidence and impact of violence on children and families; to train and support the professionals who provide intervention and treatment to children and families affected by violence; and, to increase professional and public awareness of the effects of violence on children, families, communities and society.

National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY)

http://www.ncsby.org

Attn: Keri Pierce, Center Director

PO Box 26901, Room 3B3406

Oklahoma City, OK  73190

(405) 271-8858

(405) 271-2510 fax

[email protected]The National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth is a national training and technical assistance center developed by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The Center is designed to provide states, territories, and the District of Columbia with information and support through national training and technical assistance in the management of children with sexual behavior problems and adolescent sex offenders.

National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse 

99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 510 

Alexandria, VA 22314 

PHONE: (703) 739-0321 

FAX: (703) 836-3195 

URL: http://www.ndaa-apri.org/apri/programs/ncpca/index.htmlOffers information and assistance to prosecutors, investigators, and professionals involved in child abuse litigation.

National Center for PTSDThe National Center for PTSD is a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The primary focus of the Center has been combat veterans and their families. Over the last few years, however, this focus has been expanded. There are many useful programs, activities and resources for anyone interested in the effects of traumatic stressors. Home to the PILOTS Database, an electronic index to the worldwide literature on PTSD and other mental-health sequelae of exposure to traumatic events .

National Center for Victims of CrimeProvides services and  resources to crime victims and advocates for laws that secure victims' rights literature

National Children's Alliance

516 C Street NE

Washington, DC 20002 

Phone: 202/548-0090 or 800/239-9950 

Fax: 202/548-0099 

Email: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.nca-online.orgAssists communities in planning, establishing, and improving Children's Advocacy Centers.

National Coalition for Family Justice

http://www.ncfj.org/

The National Coalition for Family Justice, a grassroots, gender neutral, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1988 by Monica Getz, is forming a new Advisory Board to address the issues surrounding accountability and ethical behavior on the part of judges, attorneys, and other professionals operating in our country's courts, particularly as they relate to cases involving family violence, children's rights, and child custody.

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

The NCJFCJ is dedicated to serving the nation's children and families by improving the courts of juvenile and family jurisdictions. Their mission is to better the justice system through education and applied research and improve the standards, practices and effectiveness of the juvenile court system.

National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association 

100 West Harrison St., North Tower, Suite 500 

Seattle, WA 98119 

PHONE: (206) 270-0072 

(800) 628-3233 

FAX: (206) 270-0078 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.nationalcasa.org 

URL: http://www.casanet.org (for professionals)Provides training, legal research, fundraising, public awareness, and government relations services to local court appointed special advocates and child welfare professionals. CASA trained community volunteers (also known as Volunteer Guardian Ad Litems) help judges make better informed decisions about abused and neglected children.

National Exchange Club Foundation for the Prevention of Child Abuse 

3050 Central Ave. 

Toledo , OH 43606-1700 

PHONE: (419) 535-3232 

FAX: (419) 535-1989 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.nationalexchangeclub.comProvides education, intervention, and support to families affected by child maltreatment. Produces prevention materials.

National Institute of Mental HealthA wide array of information about mental health issues, for the public, clinicians, and researchers, including their National Institute of Mental Health Anxiety Disorders webpage .

National Organization on Male Sexual VictimizationAn organization of diverse individuals committed through research, education, advocacy and activism to the prevention, treatment, and elimination  of all forms of sexual victimization of boys and men

National Organization for Victim Assistance 

NOVA, 

510 King Street, Suite 424, 

Alexandria, VA 22314 

PHONE: 1-800-TRY-NOVA or (703) 535-NOVA

URL: http://www.trynova.org/Assists children and adult victims of family violence with a 24-hour hotline and short-term counseling; maintains information clearinghouse; and provides training and technical assistance to State and local programs.

National Crime Victim Bar Association

2000 M Street, NW, Suite 480

Washington, DC20036

Phone: 202-467-8753

Fax: 202-467-8701

Hotline: 800-FYI-CALL

Email: [email protected]Provides technical support to attorneys representing crime victims in civil suits, referring crime victims to lawyers in their local area, and increasing general awareness about the availability of civil remedies for victims of crime.

Parents Anonymous 

675 West Foothill Blvd., Suite 220 

Claremont , CA 91711 

PHONE: (909) 621-6184 

FAX: (909) 625-6304 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.parentsanonymous.org/Leads mutual support groups for parents. Helps parents to provide nurturing environments for their families.

Ken Pope's Abstracts & Articles on TherapyDr. Pope provides free online access to his peer-reviewed research on such topics as false memory syndrome, recovered memory, malpractice, cross-examination,  pseudoscience, and ethics.

Prevent Child Abuse America 

200 South Michigan Ave., 17th Floor 

Chicago, IL 60604 

PHONE: (800) 835-2671 (orders) 

(312) 663-3520 

FAX: (312) 939-8962 

EMAIL: [email protected] 

URL: http://www.preventchildabuse.orgConducts prevention activities such as public awareness campaigns, advocacy, networking, research, and publishing. Provides information and statistics on child abuse and maintains an extensive publications list.

Richard Gartner, PhD, -  Information on Male Sexual Abuse

14 Fifth Avenue #G1

New York, NY 10011

Telephone: 212-533-0345

Personal website of Richard Gartner, PhD, a psychologist and psychoanalyst who specializes in the treatment of sexually abused men.

Sidran Traumatic Stress FoundationA nonprofit charitable organization devoted to education, advocacy, and research to benefit people who are suffering from injuries of traumatic stress.

SNAP(Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)

National Office

Contact: Barbara Blaine, President

Phone: (312) 409-2720

Address: PO Box 6416, Chicago,IL 60680

E-Mail: [email protected] 

SNAP is a self-help organization of men and women who were sexually abused by spiritual elders (Catholic priests, brothers, nuns, ministers, teachers, etc).

Thomas Legislative Information on the Internet

Treatment 4 Addiction

One of the net’s most comprehensive and frequently updated treatment center directory in the United States. This national directory of treatment centers includes the SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) database, as well as many private treatment centers, therapists and addiction professionals.  Also provides articles, videos and blogs on types of treatment, addictions, and mental health disorders.

US Department of HHS Administration for Children & Families

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs which promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.

U.S. Department of JusticeCharles Whitfield's WebsiteA pioneer in trauma recovery, including the way we remember childhood and  other trauma and abuse, Dr. Whitfield is the author of over fifty published articles  and six best selling books on trauma psychology and recovery.

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Trauma-related news

Click here to see Dr. Vincent Felitti’s keynote presentation at the Creating Trauma Informed Systems in Florida Think Tank in Naples, Florida.  Dr. Felitti was a co-principal investigator in the landmark epidemiological Adverse Childhood Experiences Study.

An exciting new website from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a free library of photos and videos that illustrate developmental milestones. This resource, entitled Milestones in Action, provides information for children age two months through five years.

Click here for Red Flags of Trauma, a quick guide for judges, developed by Judge Lynn Tepper, Sixth Judicial Circuit.

Adjudicating Domestic Violence Custody Cases: What Judges Must Know

This June 2017 article calls for family court judges to examine their standard practices based on new research.  

Federal Representatives to State Courts: Improve Adjudications Posted on August 5, 2018 by Family Court in America

From The Center for Judicial Excellence:

Guess what?

It’s August Recess — and federal lawmakers are home in their Districts until Labor Day!

Now is your chance to get your House Rep signed on as a co-sponsor of H Con Res 72 to prioritize child safety in family courts!

Join us for a one-hour advocacy training with Kathleen Russell, Executive Director of the Center for Judicial Excellence, and Connie Valentine, the Founder of the California Protective Parents Association to learn:

• What does H Con Res 72 say?
• What happens when it passes the House of Representatives?
• How do I schedule a meeting, and with whom?
• Who and what should I bring to the meeting?
• What should I say there?
• How should I follow up?
• What is most effective? (hint: good legislators supporting good laws!)

To RSVP for the ZOOM call, send your: name, county, state, phone number and email address to: [email protected]

You will receive a personal invitation via email after speaking with us to ensure that this call is a good fit for you!Together, we will do this!!

Also, join us this September 9, 10, 11 and 12 in Washington DC! We will train protective parents on Sunday afternoon to lobby for child safety in family courts and then fan out for three days of meetings to seek even more H Con Res 72 co-sponsors and supporters.

If you can get yourselves to DC, we can put you to work for child safety!

Let’s Do This!

Current list: Cosponsors: H.Con.Res.72 — 115th Congress (2017-2018)

WASHINGTON, September 25, 2018—In a triumph for parents and children who have been the victims of family violence, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a concurrent resolution urging state courts to determine family violence claims and risks to children before considering other ‘best interest’ factors. The resolution encourages states to ensure courts rely only on admissible evidence and qualified experts, and adopt qualification standards for third-party appointees. It also affirms that Congress is prepared to use its oversight authority to protect at-risk children. 

Thank you for hearing my story:

These organizations have been actively involved in supporting H. Con. Res. 72:

Advocates for Child Empowerment & Safety (ACES) www.acesforkids.org

California Protective Parents Association (CPPA) www.protectiveparents.com

Center for Judicial Excellence (CJE) www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org

Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP) www.dvleap.org

ACTION OHIO Coalition For Battered Women www.actionohio.org

Azusa City Council http://www.ci.azusa.ca.us/71/City-Council

Battered Mothers' Custody Conference http://www.batteredmotherscustodyconference.org

Baldwin Park City Council https://baldwinpark.com/

California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) www.cpedv.org

Center for Child Protection and Family Support http://www.centerchildprotection.org

Child Abuse Forensic Institute (CAFI) www.childabuseforensics.org

Child Abuse Solutions, Inc. http://childabusesolutions.com

Child Justice http://child-justice.org

Child Protection Institute (CPI) at Liberty University http://www.drjudithreisman.com/contact.html

Child USA http://childusa.org/

Children’s Civil Rights Union (CCRU)

Children's Justice Fund http://childrensjustice.fund

City of Covina https://covinaca.gov/

Courageous Kids Network (CKN) http://www.courageouskids.net

Darkness to Light https://www.d2l.org

Distinction in Family Courts (DFC) http://distinctioninfamilycourts.org

Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP) http://www.fvaplaw.org

Futures Without Violence (FUTURES) https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org

Incest Survivors Speakers Bureau (ISSB) http://www.issb.us

Joan of Arc Lawyers Foundation, Inc. http://www.joanofarclawyers.org

Justice for Children http://justiceforchildren.org

Legislative Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse

Legal Momentum http://www.legalmomentum.org

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department www.lasd.org

MassKids (Massachusetts Citizens for Children) http://www.masskids.org

Moms Fight Back http://momsfightback.org/

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) www.ncadv.org

National Coalition for Family Justice (NCFJ) http://www.ncfj.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline http://www.thehotline.org

National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) http://nnedv.org

National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) http://nomas.org

National Organization for Women (NOW) http://now.org

National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence (NPEIV) https://www.npeiv.org

National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence http://www.4vawa.org

Peace Over Violence https://www.peaceoverviolence.org/

Piqui's Justice https://www.facebook.com/SeekingJusticeForPiqui/

Senator Ed Hernandez http://sd22.senate.ca.gov/

SOAR for Justice http://soarforjustice.org/

Stop Abuse Campaign http://stopabusecampaign.org

Support Network of Advocates for Protective Parents (SNAPP)

Talk About Abuse to Liberate Kids (TAALK) https://www.taalk.org

The Hofheimer Family Law Firm https://hoflaw.com/

The Leadership Council on Child Abuse and Interpersonal Violence http://www.leadershipcouncil.org

The Nurtured Parent http://nurturedparent.org2

US Alliance to End the Hitting of Children http://endhittingusa.org

Wings for Justice http://wingsforjustice.com

Here is the actual clip on c-span

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4751283/house-consideration-h-con-res-72

I do believe that cyberbullying and also other issues mainly unethical means to how this was posted originally is in question

Hi 

My name is Judi Atwood my email, facebook and also my personal property has been vandilised and my acccounts have been comprised.

(((REDACTED))) is my ex's attorney she of course has been running a gamut which includes calling me mentally ill when it's clearl by my attorney and a private investigator that my accounts have been hacked and clearly 

(((REDACTED))) can not win in a man's world of family law without exploiting victims of crime.

I did not post this but 

(((REDACTED))) probably paid someone to hack my accounts - she is unethical

I am a (((REDACTED))) in (((REDACTED))).  Ms. Roberts is apparently providing some sort of service for an opposing party in one of my divorce cases.  Late last year, she contacted one of my clients, indicating that she was hired essentially to be a communication middle man between the parties.  My client had never met Ms. Roberts, did not request her services, and was already complying with the court's orders regarding communication, which included a paid professional for times when the parties could not agree.  Nonetheless, in the hopes of finding a peaceful and effective method of communicating with his ex-wife, my client agreed to try communicating wtih Ms. Roberts.  Ms. Roberts quickly lowered her standard of communication to name calling and blaming, at which point I informed her that my client would no longer communicate with her.  After my email, she sent me an email notifying me that it was clear that I was a lawyer and not a therapist (true), that I had charged my client over $100k for his divorce (not true), and that my client is mentally ill.   Ms. Roberts, who states that she has a M.S., and a Psy D in Clinical Psychology, has never met my client, has not heard his side of this long story, and has chosen to diagnose him via the communication of his ex-wife.  My client is not mentally ill.  He is however a darned good father who was awarded substantial parenting time and joint decision making of his children.

She is correct in stating I am not a therapist.  However, I'm an amazingly good divorce attorney, who stands up for my clients' rights, does not allow them to be bullied - in the court room or outside of it, and doesn't allow the fact that my client may be male to stop me from getting the best parenting plan, and financial settlement possible.  If that's what you're looking for, please feel free to contact me.  If you're looking for a therapist, I cannot with good conscience recommend Ms. Roberts.

Rebecca,