Family Law Articles

Divorce and custody disputes are traumatic no matter what. Even the most amicable of relationships can be fraught with frustration and a period of adjustment that can affect the family. Adding a party who struggles with alcoholism only exacerbates the problem.

Jean had recently asked her husband to leave their home because of his alcohol abuse. When she was making up her son’s bed, she found the phrase, “I miss my dad,” carved into a hidden spot on the bed frame.

It could be the primary reason behind the divorce. Or it could be how your former spouse has decided to cope with the separation. Either way, co-parenting with someone struggling with alcoholism might be one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do.

Maintaining a healthy mind and safe environment for you and your child is always the top priority, but can be particularly difficult when dealing with an ex who abuses alcohol and the often tumultuous child custody process that comes with that.

Parental drinking affects millions of children each year as one in eight Americans battle alcoholism. Approximately one in four American children are growing up with at least one parent who intermittently binge drinks or consistently drinks heavily.

Child custody cases are contentious affairs almost by default; it’s simply the nature of the beast. However, an already difficult custody case can quickly become a very difficult situation when the specter of alcohol abuse rears its head.

Addiction is a disease. Our society is coming to grips with this truth more and more each day. However, emerging cultural developments often take time to work their way into our judicial system; courts are, by design, built to resist rapid change — including family courts, where custody decisions involving the children of addicts are routine.

Child custody decisions are among the most notoriously difficult rulings any judge will ever make. When the safety and well-being of a child are at stake, our legal system should take great pains to ensure the best possible outcome is obtained for the child.

Married couples often find other couple friends to help brighten up weekends and attend events together. But after a divorce, it can be tough to let them go. After all, you’ve spent months or years getting to know them, sharing important life stories, meals, and children’s events. It took effort to grow so close. And now . . . what?

No matter how much you love being a parent, there can be days when you’re overwhelmed by the demands of life, such as your job, and your family, but you feel the need to keep going rather than admit you might need to talk to someone about your anxiety. Or perhaps you’re a new parent and you’re worried that you don’t quite have the hang of this “parenting” thing and are embarrassed to ask for help.