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Not the best way to settle a custody dispute

From Florida Divorce Law Blog comes Really Alternative Dispute Resolution ?:

Police showed up at a home where a Mother and Father were engaged in a physical fight over a custody dispute.

The police informed both parents that their disagreement would have to be resolved in court, which is another way of saying that law enforcement personnel can?t settle things between them.

But the pair were intent on their own alternative means of resolving their dispute.

Just minutes later, the police were summoned to a scene on the road where the same couple were now duking it out in the outdoors.

Both exhibited fresh injuries.

Police arrested both parents and charged them both with assault.

Just for fun let me count the ways this is so bad (and just for record, I am applying Indiana law to all except #1):

1. Both parties may have just quadrupled their lawyer fees (one each for divorce and one each for their criminal cases = 4).
2. Both parties now will look very stupid to a divorce judge.
3. Both parties put themselves in an equally poor position regarding the best interests of the children (so one had better have something even worse against the other or a very, very good explanation of why they got in this situation).
4. Both parties have put their finances in worse position by needing bail.

Remember that acting like a guest on Jerry Springer and appearing in court belong different universes. Acting like a Jerry Springer guest in a custody is a very good way to lose a custody case.

Full post as published by Sam Hasler's Indiana Divorce & Family Law Blog on November 19, 2008 (boomark / email).