"Current law holds that presumption to be true only when both parents agree to joint custody."
They have it backwards. Custody should only be UNequal if both parents agree to it being unequal.
Senator Washington: "There's mounting frustration among fathers that basically have been -- they feel -- snubbed by the courts."
Let's not make this a father's issue. This is about the needs of childen.
Washington: "It's not to say one parent is better than the other parent...But it's at least to say that with joint custody, there's equal footing and there's equal rights for visitation and to participate in the child's life."
How can anyone disagree with that?
"Those who lined up to testify said on one hand that joint custody hurts children's development because they don't have one place to consider home"
No, they have TWO places to consider home, and that is the approach that best serves children of divorce. Having contact with two loving parents is what children need most. Losing a parent is what hurts children's development.
"while others -- mostly fathers -- said custody proceedings tend to favor the mother and that keeps them away from their children."
Why is always "mostly fathers"? Was the other group "mostly mothers"? It doesn't matter which parent gets favored. The issue is that NEITHER parent should get "favored". The child needs, loves and deserves TWO parents.
Garret Idle, a Reno real estate agent who is filing for full custody of his two children: "The current system drives families apart."
Totally agree with him. This system is designed to pit two desperate parents against each other in a winner-take-all fight to the bitter end. If you tell the parents that one of them is going to lose everything they hold dear, they WILL fight.
Jeff May, a legislative police officer and father of a 9-year-old: "I know I'm speaking for thousands of daddies statewide,"
Don't speak for me. Speak for the children.
Jeff May paraphrased: "adding that those fathers also would testify if they weren't busy at jobs so they can make their child-support payments on time."
That's ridiculous. We all need to work but that is not an excuse to not get involved.
May again: "This ultimately comes down to the children. This is all about the children," he said, adding, "Dividing the time equally, I think, would be fair."
I certainly agree with both of these comments.
"Rita McGary, a case manager for Safe Embrace, a family violence intervention program in Reno, said children don't do as well when their time is split 50-50 between parents."
Says who? She is not an expert on normal families. She is familiar only with dysfunctional families. Her statements are unsubstantiated and the opposite of the truth.
Rita McGary "also said many women involved in divorce proceedings have been victims of domestic violence, and joint custody could bring "the conflicted couple into contact much too often to expect that domestic violence will not continue."
What??? Did this woman NOT read the bill? It clearly stated that those convicted of DV were excluded. This is an attempt to make anyone who favors equality, fairness and less fighting in dovorce to be a supporter of abusers. In reality, though, most parents who tend to alienate and dominate children's time have abusive tendencies. The abuser is the one with exclusive rights to the child. Both genders commit abuse.
"Ray Oster, a Reno family practice attorney, said making joint custody work requires the parents to communicate."
God forbid! Yes, there is truth to that statement. It is a happy truth that is a benefit to children. Parents communicating to parents about the needs of their children. Great reason to support equal parenting...
Oster again: "When adversarial situations arise, the children suffer."
So true. Another GREAT reason to avoid conflict by finally asserting a rebuttable presumption of shared parenting. Get rid of the reason to fight.
Another thing that concerns me about this topic: They keep referring to "joint" custody, which is often misunderstood as being an interchangeable term with 50/50. That was my assumption until I read some of the comments. They seem to be against ANY contact between NCP's and their children. It was scary to read some of that.