Joel Bernheim: Joint Custody Brings Trouble for Some Couples

NEW YORK, NY, August 20, 2012

Although many couples find that divorce is a favorable solution to end ongoing marital troubles, some also experience that the separation produces ongoing conflict between ex-partners. A recent study--highlighted in a new article from Counsel & Heal--notes that this stress could be in part due to shared child custody situations. Kansas State University's Mindy Markham led the study and found that, "Nearly half of the mothers in this study continue to have conflicted relationships with their ex-partners, and conversations with these women negate the notion that shared physical custody ensures cooperative, less conflicted relationships." Although the article implies that many of these women would opt for full child custody, Joel Bernheim, noted father's rights activist, explains other ways the study could impact post-divorce parenting.

According to the article, eight of the 20 subjects--white, well-educated women aged 26 to 49 years--expressed that they obliged to share child custody with the father, simply because the court ordered them to. It notes, "These women did not trust their ex with parenting abilities or finances. Concerns also included an ex not paying child support, abusing or an ex who is unable to separate marital issues from co-parenting." Joel Bernheim responds to these observations, by indicating possible bias--this study primarily focuses on women's interpretations of child custody and thus may lead to more decisions made by the court to assign full parental custody to the birth mother.

As a divorce expert, Joel Bernheim comments, "Markham's contention that, 'Shared physical custody is not a panacea for post-divorce problems - and that in some cases it exacerbates them,' is not a revelation and certainly does not provide a basis for the all too common argument that children would be better off being raised by the birth mother post decree." Instead, Bernheim believes that the study should encourage parents to adopt better practices that place the child as a priority in post-divorce relations.

The article notes that mothers who did not experience continued stress in custody situations revealed that through mutual trust they were able to develop amicable relationships with ex-partners for positive results. Joel Bernheim concludes, "This study simply serves as an indictment of divorced parents inability to place their children before themselves and should not be misconstrued as an excuse to further legislate sole custody cases within the court system. It falls on both parents to set their own feelings aside and act in the best interests of the child."

ABOUT:

Stemming from his own challenges and legal experiences as a single father, Joel Bernheim is a leading voice in the fathers' rights movement. In addition to his outspoken activism and philanthropy, Bernheim also works within the asset receivables management industry. He currently is the Executive Vice-President of Operations at the Illinois Company Asset Recovery Solutions, LLC.

Website: http://joelbernheim.org