Millions of fathers are currently embroiled in the fight of their lives to win custody of their children. Wounded by the acrimony and greed that often accompany divorce proceedings, many wonder if they will ever again be an important part of their sons' and daughters' lives. With this landmark book, renowned men's rights attorney Jeffery M. Leving offers disenfranchised fathers true hope and meaningful advice certain to save years of anguish and possibly thousands of dollars.Drawing on more than fifteen years of frontline experience, Leving leads fathers through every twist and turn of the legal system and shows them how to protect their rights (and their children's)—both before and during divorce litigation.This authoritative and accessible book covers every aspect of the custody process, including protecting the parent/child relationship as a breakup occurs; finding a competent and sympathetic lawyer; drafting a “Shared Parenting Agreement”; demonstrating parental competence when falsely accused of abuse; avoiding parental alienation; determining when to settle and when to litigate; techniques for dealing effectively with psychologists, social workers, and other domestic relations experts; and much more.Illustrated with vivid real-life examples, Jeffery Leving and Kenneth Dachman's practical guide is essential reading for the scores of American fathers routinely excluded from their children's lives by a biased legal system in which avarice and recrimination too often overwhelm compassion and justice.
The psychological turmoil of a divorce doesn't provide the best mental frame for a man to evaluate his options concerning his children, a situation that prompted family relations attorney Leving and psychologist Dachman to write this comprehensive guide for fathers facing divorce. The book clearly explains such legal concepts as custody and access to a child and explains how courts determine a fair level of child support. Checklists are given to help in the selection of the right attorney. Possible legal strategies are discussed for ending a case as equitably as possible and for what to do when all else fails ("Going to war"). Not simply a legal primer, Fathers' Rights also analyzes a man's stress levels and pinpoints when counseling may be required as well as ways to rebuild the relationship with a child after the divorce is final. Concise yet empathetic, it should provide real support to any man going through divorce. Brian McCombie