Child custody decisions are based on a legal concept of “the best interests of the child,” but interpreting this phrase has been left to individual judges and family relations staff. In 2005 Connecticut passed a law that redefines “the best interests” to include (but not limited to) substantial involvement by both parents. Click here for more on the new law.

But two years later the case of Tauck v. Tauck illustrated how far Connecticut is from protecting the children’s interests. A scorched earth legal battle for custody was waged, largely as a result of Mrs. Tauck’s decision to allege child abuse – an allegation undermined by evidence that Mrs. Tauck had planted false evidence on her husband’s lap top computer. In her final ruling on the case, , Judge Abery-Wetstone said “This case represents not a victory for either parent, but a tragedy for everyone involved.” For more information on the Tauck case, click here:
The evidence shows that the Tauck case is an extreme example of a pattern that is all too common in Connecticut. The Shared Parenting Council of Connecticut obtained data from the Judiciary website on 17,433 cases, over half the cases have been in the courts for over one year; well over 20% have been in the system for over 5 years.

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