DeepSummary
The podcast interview was with Elizabeth and Mike McNeese, filmmakers who created the documentary 'We the Parents' about the struggles parents face in family courts during divorces and custody battles. They discussed the billion-dollar industry around family law, how judges have broad discretion in making decisions that deeply impact families, and how the system often favors one parent over the other.
Key issues highlighted included false allegations being easy to make with little evidence required, lack of defined standards for determining the 'best interest of the child', and a system tilted towards protecting mothers based on laws like the Violence Against Women Act. Parents, even good parents, often find themselves devastated financially and emotionally by drawn-out court processes.
The filmmakers advocated for an overhaul of family court laws to implement equal shared parenting as the default unless evidence shows a parent is unfit. They believe this systemic change requires a grassroots movement from parents themselves, as the legal industry benefits from prolonging conflicts and has lobbied against reform efforts.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Family courts often deprive children of equal time with both parents after divorce, with systemic biases favoring mothers over fathers.
- Judges have broad discretionary power to make rulings based on personal biases rather than codified standards of evidence.
- Laws like the Violence Against Women Act make it easier for mothers to make unsubstantiated abuse claims and gain custody advantages.
- The adversarial family court system incentivizes parents to fight each other rather than cooperate in their children's best interests.
- The family law industry profits financially from prolonging custody disputes and resists reforms like equal shared parenting laws.
- Grassroots activism from parents themselves may be required to overhaul unjust family court laws and processes.
- False allegations of abuse, domestic violence claims, and other unsubstantiated accusations are widespread in custody battles.
- Children and families are devastated emotionally and financially by lengthy, high-conflict custody battles enabled by the system.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We have to wield back that discretion. The judges don't like it.“ by Elizabeth McNeese
- “The fastest way to create change is mass non compliance.“ by Mike McNeese
- “As long as men and women are fighting about it and pointing fingers at the other sex, we're missing everything. Because what's really going on is the industry, okay?“ by Elizabeth McNeese
- “You can't be amicable.“ by Mike McNeese
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Episode Information
2 Be Better
Chris Burkett
4/19/24