Shared Parenting Information Group (SPIG) UK
- promoting responsible shared parenting after separation and divorce -
The father's emergency guide to divorce-custody battle (review)
Robert Seidenberg (1997)
with the legal insights of William Dawes Esq
The father's emergency guide to divorce-custody battle - a tour through the predatory world of judges, lawyers, psychologists and social workers in the subculture of divorce
JES Books Inc, Maryland; 215 pps $15
This is the book for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in the old-style adversarial courtroom battles of divorce. It rips the veil from the multi-million dollar divorce-custody industry and prepares the reader (particularly fathers) for the nightmare which lies ahead in an abusive legal culture.
The book offers no quick fixes apart from the fact that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. It alerts the reader to most of the prejudices of the courts and explains the legal jargon (some of which is US-specific).
Co-authored by a fathers' rights activist and an expert divorce lawyer, it is very much a 'fighter's handbook' and although offering no certain plan of attack, attack it certainly does. This is perhaps one of the main weaknesses, in that despite the many useful ideas there is little or no advice on how to negotiate or being seen as 'Mr Nice Guy' - for example the section 'say nothing good about your wife' might not go down too well in UK courts.
But all in all a good buy for those who are facing a nightmare and who want reassurance that they are not alone. Lending it to your friends will help them understand what you are going through.
Available from:
Washington Law & Professional Books
1900 G St. NW, Washington D.C. 20006
Phone : 202-223-5543
: 800-499-1652
Fax : 202-223-5546
E-mail: law@reiters.com - tell them you saw it here!
David Cannon
SPIG Home Page