Legal
Collaborative Divorce with a Child Specialist: Your Children’s Best Interest First
PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD V. BEING HONEST ABOUT ONE’S LIMITATIONS A father, who may want to hide his ignorance of an infant’s needs during an evaluation, presents himself differently in collaborative divorce, and is more likely to be honest and seek the recommendation of a child specialist. It’s like being in a classroom and the teacher…
Read MoreProviding Spouses with the Power to Make Healthcare Decisions
By Cozette Vergari Originally published in LOS ANGELES LAWYER / NOVEMBER 2007 THE RIGHT TO MAKE HEALTHCARE DECISIONS is a protected individual right held solely by the patient. Recently, federal law and state law expanded the scope of exclusivity of this right to the privacy realm by limiting the sharing of patient information and records. Thus a…
Read MoreChild’s Testimony in Custody Cases
ELKINS TASK FORCE REFORMS – UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION An important change regarding children’s testimony in custody cases, (Family Code §3042).went into effect last year. “If a child is 14 years of age or older and wishes to address the court regarding custody or visitation, the child shall be permitted to do so, unless the court determines…
Read MoreProposals For Helping Judges in Court
PROPOSALS FOR HELPING JUDGES ESTABLISH A MEDIATION PANEL TO REDUCE NUMBER OF CASES FOR HEARINGS The Superior Court maintains “panels” or lists of professionals who provide child custody evaluations services, parent education groups and co-parent counseling services. A similar list of professionals who provide mediation could be very helpful. The court could require the child…
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