Experience of family court.

FortySeven

Interested in the experiences others have had in family court. Were you happy or unhappy with the outcome?

wokingvoter

Family court never ends with two happy parties
Someone's always furious
Someone's always disappointed
Someone always feels totally vindicated

whatismyname

FortySeven wrote: »

Interested in the experiences others have had in family court. Were you happy or unhappy with the outcome?

Why?

FortySeven

whatismyname wrote: »

Why?

Because I didn't feel like posting in the cosmetics I bought this week thread. :rolleyes:

I'm considering starting a campaign for reform. Gauging opinion.

FortySeven

FortySeven wrote: »

Because I didn't feel like posting in the cosmetics I bought this week thread. :rolleyes:

I'm considering starting a campaign for reform. Gauging opinion.

There will be people who have an axe to grind messing up your results there. It's not going to be an gauge of any accuracy at all.

Fluffy Cat 88

wokingvoter wrote: »

Family court never ends with two happy parties
Someone's always furious
Someone's always disappointed
Someone always feels totally vindicated

Nail on the head!

If all parties are agreeable, there's no need for a family court.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I've never been to any sort of court, thank god and long may it continue.
I think the parents happiness should be irrelevant as long as the child's best interests are being met. This isn't automatically saying mothers have all the rights. If a child's better off with their dad then it should be done. But kids are used as pawns so much in these nasty battles.

FortySeven

Candie wrote: »

There will be people who have an axe to grind messing up your results there. It's not going to be an gauge of any accuracy at all.

Can users vote more than once?

eviltwin

Never had the experience, hope I never have to. I would hope in the case of a split my partner and I would be able to sort things out without the need for court.

FortySeven

FortySeven wrote: »

Can users vote more than once?

No, but they can pretend to be another gender.

Sonics2k

I had to go to family court about 6 years ago to get legal joint custody of my kids after my partner and I separated.

It came out well for me and honestly was a massive waste of time as the ex was simply trying to delay the inevitable.

I lawyered up in advance and she did not, giving me a bit of an advantage.

Speaking brutally honestly, it's an absolute farce that I had to go to court to get legal rights to my own children, despite the fact I'd been a daily part of their lives since birth.

FortySeven

I should declare. I am currently in family court and I am completely disillusioned with the way it is conducted. I have no outcome yet so have not voted. I'm not interested in gripes, axes to grind or gender issues. I am just interested if people feel they are getting fair service from the system.

endacl

FortySeven wrote: »

I should declare. I am currently in family court and I am completely disillusioned with the way it is conducted. I have no outcome yet so have not voted. I'm not interested in gripes, axes to grind or gender issues. I am just interested if people feel they are getting fair service from the system.

I presume half will tell you they are?

FortySeven

FortySeven wrote: »

I should declare. I am currently in family court and I am completely disillusioned with the way it is conducted. I have no outcome yet so have not voted. I'm not interested in gripes, axes to grind or gender issues. I am just interested if people feel they are getting fair service from the system.

You may not want it, but I suspect you'll get it anyway.

sullivlo

endacl wrote: »

I presume half will tell you they are?

I reckon it's the gender divide of % happiness that the OP is looking to gauge.

Stheno

eviltwin wrote: »

Never had the experience, hope I never have to. I would hope in the case of a split my partner and I would be able to sort things out without the need for court.

Same here I split from my husband, paid him maintenance for years after mediation and it was grand.

Knine

Was in family court. Appealed result to the Circuit Court. Happy with the outcome for the kids. I did not bring a solicitor. If you tell the truth, don't use hearsay & back up with evidence everything you do say, then you are better off representing yourself.

sullivlo

sullivlo wrote: »

I reckon it's the gender divide of % happiness that the OP is looking to gauge.

You'd need equal numbers of each gender with experience of family court for that to make any sense.

Poll isn't going to work here, too many variables.

Have been there plenty of times. Solicitor, do family law.

My general advice? If at all possible, avoid. Very few leave family court happy.

Knine

Knine wrote: »

If you tell the truth, don't use hearsay & back up with evidence everything you do say, then you are better off representing yourself.

That's is truly terrible advice.

If it worked for you, great. But have seen many lay litigants skewered in the family Courts.

sullivlo

Candie wrote: »

You'd need equal numbers of each gender with experience of family court for that to make any sense.

Poll isn't going to work here, too many variables.

I never said it would work. I just pointed out what I think the OP is hoping to achieve with the poll.

No experience with family court OP. Well none for reasons of custody. My aunt adopted kids but that was a different story.

I do, however, have friends who have been through the courts and have had horrendous experiences.
- female friend brought ex to court over maintenance and his lack of access. Court ruled in her favour yet nothing changed. She still only gets a token amount from him and he still ignores his children.
- male friend brought his ex wife to court over custody issues and concerns for the kids welfare. He works all the hours under the sun to provide everything for the kids. His ex is very unstable and has a history of mental health difficulties (I have experienced this first hand as I was in school with her) and IMO she is not fit to mind the kids in her current state. The kids have asked to live with their daddy yet every court he goes to rules on the side of the mother.

There is more to every case than meets the eye. Someone will always be unhappy with the outcome. Someone will always be painted in a bad light. Ultimately what matters is that the kids welfare is put first but it can make for very ugly scenes.

sullivlo

sullivlo wrote: »

I never said it would work. I just pointed out what I think the OP is hoping to achieve with the poll.

Oh I know sullivlo, I was just thinking out loud in my reply.

Ice Maiden

I would say the majority (including me) would agree it is crap for fathers - from a more general perspective.
I have no doubt though that there are individual mothers too who have not had a picnic of an experience (could be crap for both parents in the one case too).

Peregrine

FortySeven wrote: »

Because I didn't feel like posting in the cosmetics I bought this week thread. :rolleyes:

I'm considering starting a campaign for reform. Gauging opinion.

Sorry, OP, but I'll have to close this. This just isn't a place for campaigns.

PM me if you wish to discuss the thread.