Honorable
Judiciary Committee Member,
I am writing
to urge passage of Shared
Parenting bill S 855.
I support
S 855 because it protects
children's right to maintain
a meaningful relationship
with both parents after divorce.
Research clearly establishes
that when fit parents come
before the family law court
with equal rights to and responsibilities
for their children, the outcomes
are much better for children
emotionally, educationally,
and financially.
Massachusetts
children of divorce often
see one of the two people
they love most in the world,
most of the time their father,
pushed to the margins of their
lives. S 855 protects the
critical bonds children share
with both their parents by
making it clear that fit parents
come before the family law
court with equal rights to
and responsibilities for their
children.
I was there
when my son was born and for
the first two and a half years
of his life I spent a lot
of wonderful time with him,
my only child. Then his mother
decided that she did not want
to be married to me any more.
For the year and a half of
separation I was exceptionally
fortunate to have a judge
award me two days a week and
every other weekend with my
son
There had
been no abuse of any sort
and I was clearly a fit parent
but, because several lawyers
told me my chances of
getting shared custody were
slim to none, I had reluctantly
signed a Separation Agreement
that included my wife having
physical custody of our son,
with joint legal custody and
my son being with me every
other weekend and two afternoons
a week with a weekday overnight.
We went to
court with this signed
legal document only to have
the judge tell us "I
am not going to allow that,
it's not good for the child".
We were forced to re-negotiate
and, after over $50,000 in
attorney's fees, today I have
my son only one afternoon
a week for four hours and
on every other weekend. The
resultant acrimony has permanently
marred our parenting relationship.
Subsequent
to the divorce, the court
has allowed my ex-wife to
ignore the provisions of joint
legal custody and I have been
marginalized as a parent regarding
decisions about my son’s education,
activities and medical care.
My son is now eight years
old and frequently asks why
he can’t be with his father
more.
I urge passage
of S 855 so Massachusetts
children will be able to have
two fully involved parents
loving, guiding and protecting
them, even after divorce.
Respectfully,
John G.
Huber
45-C Liberty
Square Road
Boxborough,
MA 01719 |