Symposium 2024
7th Annual Shared Parenting Symposium. Watch it here:
Focus on Children by Family Court: Alternatives to Litigation
Monday, February 5, 1-3pm (in person)
Legislators and an Attorney who mediates divorce address children’s issues:
- When/Why is mediation a good alternative to litigation?
- Is mediation a good alternative to working with Family Relations or with other court ordered professionals?
- Are children’s emotional security, physical and mental health, well served by Family Court?
Brief Agenda
Legislators will join Cindy Cartier, an attorney who has mediated contentious divorce cases. Attorney Cartier will discuss mediation as a process that emphasizes the participants’ taking responsibility for making decisions and building a more positive relationship to support co-parenting their children more effectively. She will give examples of difficult divorce cases where parents made progress through mediation.
Members of the National Parents Organization, CT chapter – Sean Allen, chair – will present legislation for a state policy to support approximately equal parenting time between a child and parent unless such an arrangement is clearly detrimental to the child. The bill also provides that if the court concludes that approximately equal parenting time is not in the best interest of the child, the court shall make findings supporting its order.
John Clapp, Chair of the Shared Parenting Council of Connecticut, will review a recent CT Supreme Court case where children were damaged by years of litigation in family court. The final 15-30 minutes is for questions and comments from the public.
About the Participants
Cindy Cartier, JD, LLM, has been practicing law for over 30 years. Over the course of her career, she has dedicated a significant portion of her practice to alternative dispute resolution both as a mediator and arbitrator. She has been recognized as by Super Lawyer since 2017 in the area of family law.
Legislators who have attended in the past: Sen Saud Anwar, Sen Derek Slap, Rep Minnie Gonzalez, Rep Robin Comey, Rep Jillian Gilchrest, Rep. Juan Candelaria, Rep Nicole Klarides-Ditria, Sen Henri Martin, and Rep William Petit.