Published Articles

Court-System-Adversarial-or-Problem-Solving Court System: adversarial or problem-solving? Continuing the conversation
Spring 2014, No. 2, ACFLS Family Law Specialist

So, you won your case today!! Slam dunk!! Congratulations!! High fives all around!! So, why do have that sick feeling in your stomach? What about that process doesn’t feel right for your client, your opposing party, their kids, and you? Heidi Tuffias, CFLS, wrote last summer in the ACFLS Specialist “It’s Time For Something New.” She wrote that it was time to switch from the “adversarial” to a “problem solving” court model. At the same time…

Todays-Estranged-Child-Yesterdays-Alienating-Parent Today’s estranged child, yesterday’s alienating parent? How we’ve grown in our understanding of cause and treatment
Summer 2014, No. 3, ACFLS Family Law Specialist

I remember the color of the book cover – it was bright yellow with stark lettering: The Parental Alienation Syndrome and the Difference Between Fabricated and Genuine Child Sex Abuse, by Richard A. Gardner. The jolt of “truth” in 1987 was akin to the jolt I had felt in 1972 holding the first edition of Ms. Magazine. Dr. Gardner had just handed me the key to the mysteries of all my high-conflict family law custody cases. Or so I thought in…

Unbundled-Judges-Making-the-Court-Work-For-Your-Client Unbundled Judges: Making the court work for your client
Winter 2014, No. 1, ACFLS Family Law Specialist

Much has been made of unbundling attorneys’ services, but I suggest that the court’s services can and should be unbundled more frequently than they are. In actuality, the family law attorney already uses the unbundled services of the court, but probably doesn’t think of it in those terms: 1) Need a quick temporary support order? File a motion and have a hearing, then go back to the negotiations table to settle the issues. 2) Stuck on one minor issue regarding the parenting plan? File a motion, attend mediation, get a third person’s point of view…