Divorce Effects on Children

Every year, more than 1 million American children experience the divorce of parents. Half of all children born now to traditional husband/wife marriages will be involved in their parents divorce by age 18. Middle income families with children frequently experience a reduction of family income averaging 40%. Half of all children will drop to a standard of living below national poverty levels. As a direct result of miss-placed blame and financial hardship, most children develop resentment toward one or both patents.

Note when filing:

The availability of the dissolution of marriage, property distributions, and child support requirements are unique to each state because of variations in divorce decisions rendered by courts. As new cases are decided, new precedents establish variations in application. For this reason, everyone considering filing should consult local legal counsel. Best results are obtained through careful planning with legal counsel before committing to any course of action. Also be aware that filing creates a permanent public record. These records are rarely withdrawn, expunged or deleted absent extraordinary circumstances. Public records are available to anyone who inquires for a nominal fee.

A primary consideration driving the development of new laws revolves around children of the marriage. Children are typically not represented by attorneys in proceedings, yet are considered, as a matter of judicial and public policy, to have an overriding interest in the outcome. The needs of children financially, socially, parentally and educationally are considered the joint responsibility of parents. Courts are charged with responsibility to protect all interests of children in family court despite agreed requests of parents which may be inconsistent.