I
have spent that past 2.5 years fighting
the Massachusetts court system to
stay in my six year old little girl's
life, who I was the primary caretaker. I
used to spend six hours a day with
my daughter. In one week,
I am court ordered 6 hours with
her. If you speak to
other fathers, this is a luxury
custody plan. Sadly,
many fathers don't get to see their
children and visa versa.
I have paid over
20 thousands dollars to Attorney's,
but they haven't served my daughter
very well. Attorneys won't bite
the hand that feeds them. I representd
myself for 2 years, but the
end results was the same.
New Hampsire, Oregon
and many other states are finally
taking the initiative to implement
some type of shared custody arrangement
for the benefit of children.
When you read the Bill, SB1120, presented
to you for shared custody, please
do so without blinders. When you
give your vote of approval
for this bill, know that you are contributing
significantly to the health and well-being
of the children of our future. It
is time to make a difference in our
children's lives and it starts with
you and the Joint Committee on Judiciary.
Follow NH, Oregon and all the other
states in doing what is right for
our children. Perhaps, Massachusetts
will follow.
Why should any
child's inherent and inalienable
birthright to be with both parents
be removed upon divorce?
Read "Lagging
Behind the Times" by Attorney
Cynthia McNeely
http://www.law.fsu.edu/journals/lawreview/downloads/254/mcneely.pdf
This is the most
legitimate piece of literature regarding
the importance of both parents being
in children's lives and how the
probate and family courts have been
severely biased in favor of Mothers.
The following is
a quote from an email from Cynthia
Mcneely to me regarding my 3 year
old daughter at the time:
"Second, you
should propose week on, week off
custody (doesn't have to be Sunday
to Sunday, but could, for example,
be Tuesday to Tuesday, or some version
thereof), if you live in the same
school district or nearby and can
take your child to the same school
or preschool she would otherwise
be attending. There's
no reason why you should have to
settle for anything less. Divorce
disturbs the family unit and daily
processes, and there's no use pretending
it doesn't. It's more
important your child see you regularly
than keeping her in one residence
with one parent most of the week. She
will adjust to two equal residences."
The children of
Connecticut and Massachusetts beg
you to vote in favor of shared parenting
legislation!
“Although the dispute is symbolized
by a 'versus' which signifies
two adverse parties at opposite
poles of a line, there is in fact
a third party whose interests and
rights make of the line a
triangle. That person, the child
who is not an official party to
the lawsuit but whose well-being
is in the eye of the controversy,
has a right to shared parenting
when both are equally suited to
provide it. Inherent in the express
public policy is a recognition of
the child's right to equal access
and opportunity with both parents,
the right to be guided and
nurtured by both
parents, the right to have major
decisions made by the application
of both parents' wisdom, judgement
and experience. The child does not
forfeit these rights when the
parents divorce."
Judge Dorothy
T. Beasley,
Georgia Court of Appeals,
"In the Interest of
A.R.B., a Child," July 2, 1993
Sincerely,
Richard Barrett
A Father in Massachusetts who is fighting
desperately to stay in his daughter's
life!!!