What does “high conflict” really mean? Is conflict between parents always “mutual”? Should all contested custody cases be viewed through the same lens? What is the real balance between the child’s overall needs and the parents’ goals and perceptions? Why are some custody cases “frequent flyers” really? What do we need to know about the limits of the usual therapeutic interventions for these families? Our presenters will explore such established perspectives through a more focused lens, guided by the failure of a “one-size-fits-all” approach for the most conflicted custody populations in our Family Law Courts. Join us on our journey “back to the basics”!
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to explain what constitutes a “high conflict” family.
- Participants will be able to discuss a variety of “myths” which are sometimes adopted in family law matters (e.g. frequent and continuing contact with both parents is what is best for all children).
- Participants will be able to critique a variety of common presumptions in family law cases in California (e.g., joint legal custody is the presumption).