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You are here: Home / Archives for Custody

Custody of Trans Children part III: Father jailed in dispute over 4 year old’s gender

Joshua Baish looks uncomfortable in his orange jumpsuit as he tells his story in a video conference call at the Denton County Jail in early August. Fifteen video monitors line the walls inside the small visitation room, and nearly all of them are in use this Sunday afternoon. Several children patiently wait to see their fathers, who are behind bars for various reasons, since a video call won’t connect until a minute before each meeting.

No one is waiting to see Baish, who says he hasn’t seen his 4-year-old twin daughters since the judge sentenced him in late July.

In June, he drove to his ex-wife’s house on Father’s Day to pick up his daughters for a weekend visit and was met by two Denton police officers and a freshly filed temporary restraining order. “The accusation?” he wrote on Facebook. “I was forcing Lily to be a boy. And that it constitutes abuse.”

Read more here.

NOTE FROM FIELDS AND DENNIS — FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE AND ABOUT PARENTING PLANS, VISIT HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE, VISIT HERE.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Child Custody, cisgender, Custody, depression, female gender identification, gender dyshphoria, gender identity, gender non conforming children, lgbt, male gender identification, suicidal thought, trans, trans children, trans-feminine, trans-masculine, transgender children

My Child Is ‘They,’ And It’s Society, Not Language, That Needs Fixing

Before anyone asks, no, I’m not some sort of new age, millennial, hipster-chic parent living in a commune, attempting to raise genderless, nameless offspring who will one day grow up and decide these things independent of their father and me. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s just not us. My husband and I learned all three of our kids’ biological sexes via ultrasound and we planned accordingly. I dressed my boys in blue, my girl in pink.

I’d always hoped to have a child of each gender. And God, in only God’s divine way, was brilliant enough to give me one of each: a cisgender male, Jack, born in 2000, a cisgender female. Kate, born in 2002, and a few years later, when my third and last child was born, well, God threw all caution to the wind and decided to confuse everyone and make the ride just a little more fun.

Read more here.

NOTE FROM FIELDS AND DENNIS — FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE AND ABOUT PARENTING PLANS, VISIT HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE, VISIT HERE.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Child Custody, cisgender, Custody, depression, female gender identification, gender dyshphoria, gender identity, gender non conforming children, lgbt, male gender identification, suicidal thought, trans, trans children, trans-feminine, trans-masculine, transgender children

Mental Health Concerns More Common Among Transgender Children

Transgender children are more likely than their cisgender peers to have a mental health diagnosis, says a study in Pediatrics. The study says gender dysphoria may play a role in this phenomenon. Gender dysphoria is distress that occurs when a person’s assigned gender does not match their gender identity.

Previous research has documented higher rates of suicidal thoughts among transgender populations. A 2012 study found two-thirds of transgender people have considered suicide. In the same study, 26% of trans women and 30% of trans men said they had attempted suicide in the past.

Read more here.

NOTE FROM FIELDS AND DENNIS — FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE AND ABOUT PARENTING PLANS, VISIT HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE, VISIT HERE.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Child Custody, cisgender, Custody, depression, female gender identification, gender dyshphoria, gender identity, gender non conforming children, lgbt, male gender identification, suicidal thought, trans, trans children, trans-feminine, trans-masculine, transgender children

Custody of Trans Children Part II: Free Speech Rights, Parental Rights, and Children with Gender Dysphoria

An interesting Arizona appellate decision in the case discussed in a previous blog post here, rejecting a court’s assignment of a treating therapist, and rejecting a gag order that limited parents’ discussions with the child.

Paul E. (“Father”) and Courtney F. (“Mother”) married in 2004 and thereafter had three children together, including L., born in 2007. Father and Mother divorced in 2010. The decree of dissolution gave the parties joint legal custody of the children, with final legal decision-making authority awarded to Father with respect to L.’s and one of the other children’s education, medical care, and dental care. Mother was awarded final legal decision-making authority with respect to the remaining child’s education, medical care, and dental care. The parties were awarded equal parenting time with respect to all three children…

Read more here.

NOTE FROM FIELDS AND DENNIS — FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE AND ABOUT PARENTING PLANS, VISIT HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE, VISIT HERE.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Custody, female gender identification, gender dyshphoria, gender identity, gender non conforming children, lgbt, male gender identification, trans, trans children, transgender children

Custody of Trans Children Part I: Why parents are losing custody of trans and gender non-conforming kids

The divorced parents had joint custody of their three children and equal parenting time.

But soon after the mother began allowing their male child — identified in legal documents as “L.” — to wear a skirt to school, the father took his ex-wife to court.

Arguing that the mother, “through various acts, was pushing a female gender identification on L.,” the father asked for sole legal custody to make decisions about the child’s health care and schooling, according to court records. He also requested L. live with him full-time.

Read more here.

NOTE FROM FIELDS AND DENNIS — FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE AND ABOUT PARENTING PLANS, VISIT HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DIVORCE, VISIT HERE.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Child Custody, Custody, female gender identification, gender dyshphoria, gender identity, gender non conforming children, lgbt, male gender identification, trans, trans children, transgender children

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Hits a Custody Dispute

If there’s one thing we know about Angelina Jolie, it’s that as an actress, activist, and guest lecturer at the London School of Economics, she needs to travel. If there’s another thing we know, it’s that she usually goes places with her six kids. But now, as her divorce from Brad Pitt continues to be finalized, there have reportedly been complications as she begins filming in London.

Per a report from Page Six, the custody battle with Pitt is keeping her from taking her pack with her while she films Maleficent 2 in London. Though Jolie was seen by The Daily Mail arriving with at least two of her children in London last week, the Page Six report suggests that a months-long film shoot provides additional challenges.

“They are figuring out how it would work, but she is not happy,” a source told Page Six. “She wants to take the kids to London with her while she’s shooting—and she’s frustrated with the process. They’re talking about how it would work.” (A representative for Jolie did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

Read more here.

Filed Under: Divorce and Family Law Tagged With: Custody, travel with children

Attorney Andrea DeLaney Joins Attorneys Representing Children (ARC)

Fields and Dennis, LLP knows there is never a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to family law matters. Each case is different and requires sensitive and sympathetic attention along with innovative and often multi-faceted solutions. However, one aspect of family law does remain constant — children are the most impacted by a divorce. Children are the most important concern, and often times they are not adequately represented or heard.

We are excited to share that Attorney Andrea DeLaney has become involved with the Attorneys Representing Children (ARC) program in the Norfolk County Probate Court. ARC gives a voice to children in high-conflict custody cases and acts as their advocate.

Attorney DeLaney has been trained and certified.  She now volunteers her time and services to this worthwhile program, which assists in matters involving divorce, paternity, custody and visitation, giving the child a voice.

The best interests of the children should always be the priority. As a volunteer lawyer for ARC, Attorney Delaney will work to ensure the best outcome for the child is pursued, allowing the child to have a voice in the process, as well as give the court some guidance in making these difficult custody decisions.

ARC is made possible by the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court, along with the Norfolk Bar Association. Attorney DeLaney is honored to be a part of this valuable program and is looking forward to working on many more cases involving the best interests of children.

Filed Under: Divorce, Family Law, Firm News, Massachusetts Divorce, Massachusetts Family Law, Probate Court Tagged With: Attorneys Representing Children (ARC), best interests of children, Children, Children of Divorce, Custody, custody and visitation, Family Law, Firm News, paternity

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