Custody Evaluation and Domestic Violence: Toward Best Practices — A Symposium for Practitioners
For more information, please contact Denice Wolf Markham, Executive Director, (312) 408-1210; dmarkham@life-span.org
Date: March 12, 2015
Location:
DLA Piper LLP (US)
203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1900
Chicago, Illinois
60601-1293
[big_button link=”https://stage2.life-span.org/2015-symposium-registration”]Register and Download Symposium Documents[/big_button]
[line]
Symposium Syllabus
9:00-9:30 Registration
9:30-9:40 Welcome: Denice Wolf Markham
General Materials:
- “Custody Evaluations When there are Allegations of DV: Practices, Beliefs, and Recommendations of Professional Evaluators” Davis, O’Sullivan, Susser, Fields May 2011
- “Child Custody Evaluator’s Beliefs about DV Allegations: Their Relationship to Evaluator Demographics, Background, DV Knowledge and Custody-Visitation Recommendations” Saunders, Faller, Tolman June 2012
9:45-10:30 Plenary Session
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will understand what issues will be discussed and the goals of the symposium, along with facts and general information about custody evaluation and domestic violence. .75 hr. CLE; .75 hr. CEU
9:45-10:00 Judge Grace Dickler
Custody evaluation in the Domestic Relations Division
10:00-10:30 Denice Wolf Markham, JD
- Symposium Goals
- Issues regarding evaluation that we hope to begin to address
Materials: Presenter Power Points.
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:45 Breakout Sessions
1a. Custody Evaluation Standards and Processes
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will better understand how custody evaluations are done in both private practice and in the Court’s program. This session will focus on the variety of methods and processes used by evaluators in Cook County, along with the standards set by several professional associations. 1 hr. Professional Responsibility CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Materials:
- APA Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings
- AMA Child Custody Evaluations Standards
- AFCC and NASW guidelines
- Presenters’ Power Points
Presenters:
Aviva Cahn, LCSW, Private Practitioner;
Kelly Combs PsyD, Court Forensic Services
1b. The Traumatic Effects of Domestic Violence
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will gain increased knowledge about DV and its traumatic effects. This session will detail how long term trauma affects the brain, behavior, outlook for both the parent victim and child witnesses. 1 hr. CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Materials:
- Presenter’s Power Point
Presenter:
Margaret Luft, LCSW
11:45-12:00 Break
12:00-1:00 Plenary Session
Domestic Violence in the Context of the Custody Evaluation
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will learn ways of dealing with domestic violence and its effects when this issue is part of a custody evaluation. The presenter will discuss how to recognize when a parent is a victim, gain an understanding of the scope and character of the domestic violence, and plan for parenting beyond violence.
Materials
- Presenter’s Power Point
Presenter:
Beth Wilner, PhD
1:00-1:15 Break
1:15-2:15 Breakout sessions:
2a. The Immigrant Family: the Role of Culture and Language
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will better understand how different cultural norms, the immigrant experience, and limited English proficiency can affect the efficacy of a custody evaluation, along with how the evaluator can address these issues. 1 hr. CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Moderated by Margaret Luft, MSW, LCSW
Panelists:
Itedal Shalabi, Arab American Family Services
Michelle Valiukenas Bikulcs JD, Life Span
Lanetta Haynes Turner, JD
Hajira Mahdi, Apna Ghar
2b. The Use of Evaluations in Custody Determinations: What Do Judges Want to Know from Evaluators?
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will gain an understanding of the role of custody evaluations in judicial determination of custody. The panel of judges will discuss their views on dealing with the evaluation as a tool for settlement, the evaluator as an expert witness, ordering an evaluation on a specific topic, along with other issues. 1 hr. CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Panelists:
Judge David Haracz
Judge Nancy Katz
Judge Pamela Loza
2:15-2:25 Break
2:25-3:25 Breakout Sessions:
3a. The Interface between Evaluators and Child’s Reps
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will gain a better understanding of the relationship between evaluators and child’s representatives. The panel will discuss the ethical rules and duties of Children’s Representatives, along with strategies to manage the conflictual relationships between the parties, their attorneys, and the evaluator. 1 hr. Professional Responsibility CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Materials:
- “Custody Evaluation Standards” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- APA Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings
- AFCC guidelinesModerated by Djuana O’Connor Oshin, JD
Panelists:
Stacey Platt,
JDZachary
Williams, JD
Lisa K. Nelson, JD
3b. DV Advocacy with Custody Evaluators
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants will increase their knowledge about evaluation processes, how lawyers and evaluators can effectively interact, how to share information with evaluators, and how to address problems in the evaluation. 1 hr. Professional Responsibility CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Materials:
- Presenters’ Power Points
- Illinois Statutes and Case Law
Presenters:
Kathryn Socha, JD
Barbara Palmer, LCSW
3:30-4:30 Plenary Panel Discussion: Best Practices for DV cases
Learning Objective and Session Overview: Participants and panelists will discuss their views on evaluation best practices, issues and problems that arise in their practices and how to address them, and develop action steps for further work on improving how domestic violence is dealt with in custody evaluations. 1 hr. CLE; 1 hr. CEU
Moderator: Denice Wolf Markham, JD
Panelists:
Judge Edward Arce
Barbara Palmer, LCSW
Beth Wilner, PhD
Mary Gardner, PsyD
Beth McCormack, JD
Nanette McCarthy, JD
Materials: Power point