69th Legislative Interim - Child Custody Review Task Force [Source] Translate

The meeting of the Child Custody Review Task Force began with a roll call confirming a quorum, followed by the approval of the previous meeting's minutes. Beth presented a memorandum summarizing comments from task force members on potential legislative topics, which included: 1. **Creation of a Family Court**: Discussion on forming a study group to explore the implementation of a family court, focusing on costs and resource allocation. 2. **Education**: Consensus on the need for educational programs for parents, attorneys, and judges involved in family law disputes, including mandatory seminars for parents and additional training for legal professionals. 3. **Expedited Proceedings**: Emphasis on establishing clear deadlines in court proceedings, particularly for parenting time violations, and suggestions for expediting civil proceedings. 4. **Law Enforcement Involvement**: Concerns about involving law enforcement in parenting disputes due to the potential for escalating conflicts. 5. **Parenting Time Expeditors**: Discussion on the establishment of parenting time expeditors, including their authority and cost allocation. 6. **Rules of Procedure**: Suggestion for the court to adopt specific rules for domestic relations cases to ensure consistency and timely resolutions. Dr. John Perez joined the meeting to present his experiences with child custody issues, emphasizing the emotional toll on families and the impact of parental alienation. He defined parental alienation and contrasted it with estrangement, highlighting the challenges in identifying and treating these issues. Dr. Perez shared personal anecdotes and stressed the need for greater awareness within the legal and mental health communities. During the Q&A, committee members sought clarification on various points, including the legal context of Dr. Perez's case and the need for education in family law. The committee discussed their approach moving forward, expressing a preference for maintaining their current structure while considering the formation of subcommittees later. Judge Hovey provided insights on the creation of a family court, advocating for specialized judges in family law to handle cases more effectively. He highlighted the need for expedited procedures and discussed the presumption of equal parenting time, noting practical complications. Representative Schneider suggested studying family law courts and gathering insights from other states. The conversation included the need for emergency relief procedures and a system for quicker hearings in urgent situations. Mr. Sherwood raised concerns about custody arrangement disparities, while Jason McLean argued against focusing solely on statistics, emphasizing the importance of education about the legal process. Ms. Moldenhauer and Victoria echoed the need for a dedicated family court to ensure consistency in decision-making. The meeting also addressed the importance of educational resources for parents and the potential financial burden of mandatory classes. Judge Holby mentioned existing authority for counties to cover costs for those unable to pay for necessary classes. The discussion shifted to the enforcement of custody orders, with Mr. Hovey noting challenges parents face in obtaining timely resolutions. The committee discussed the role of Child Protective Services and the potential for parenting time expediters to issue binding decisions. Overall, the meeting underscored the complexities of custody arrangements, the need for reform in family court practices, and the importance of education for both parents and legal professionals. The committee agreed to pursue bill drafts for a study on family court and to consider making the Parents Forever program mandatory, with a focus on expediting court access for parenting time violations. The next meeting is scheduled to finalize recommendations and continue discussions on legislative directives related to family law.