Mark Baer Interviewed on KNX News Radio on the Benefits of Mediation
At 8:20 a.m. on August 1, 2015, I was interviewed by Bob Brill on KNX News Radio. The topic was “Compared To A Lawsuit, Mediation Is Swift, Confidential, Solution Oriented, And Low Cost.” Apparently, people seem to think that lawsuits can typically be resolved within 6 months, which is far from accurate. Lawsuits tend to
How Are Your Divorce “Expert’s” Biases, Beliefs, Assumptions and Values Hurting You?
On July 18, 2015, the New York Times published an article titled by Penelope Green titled ” A New Cadre of Experts Helps Women Navigate Their Divorces.” I am well aware of the existence of such so-called “experts.” Having been through a divorce does not make one an “expert.” In fact, some of the most
Is Ordering People to Have a Relationship Effective?
On June 24, 2015, Lisa Gorcyca, Judge, Oakland County, Michigan family court, ordered ” three kids, aged 9, 10 and 15, to Children’s Village for civil contempt of court when they refused to talk to their father.” You see, the judge had ordered them to have a “healthy relationship with their father” and they refused
The Correlation between Confirmation Bias, Emotional Intelligence and Legal Ethics
On July 7, 2015, I read an article titled “Legal Ethics and Confirmation Bias ” by Jayne Reardon, Executive Director at Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. I shared that article, along with the following comment: “You will note that a solution involves EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EQ), something which lawyers tend to lack. Fortunately, EQ can
People should start being honest, for a change.
The Confederate flag ceased to fly on April 9, 1865 and flew again in 1956 in opposition to Brown v. Board of Education. The Civil War was fought over slavery. When the South surrendered, the flag came down. The South then had Jim Crow laws in place, until the U. S. Supreme Court ruled to
Marriage Equality and LGBT Civil Rights in the United States, Part 1
On February 14, 2014, the New York Times published an article by Eli J. Finkel titled ” The All-or-Nothing Marriage .” It is an article about how marriage has evolved over time in the United States. In that article he references a new theory of marriage that he developed with the psychologists Chin Ming Hui,
Marriage Equality and LGBT Civil Rights in the United States, Part 2
The LinkedIn Discussion over marriage equality that I shared in my prior post continued and the issues raised warrant sharing. I received the following response to the comments that I made: “Mark. Never meant to throw rocks, so I apologize if you feel I have done that. No offense meant for sure. My wife is
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Should Be Proud
Although I am a famiy law attorney and mediator, I am rarely pleased to hear when a couple is divorcing and the same is true for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner . My thoughts are with both of them because regardless of how amicable a couple may be, divorce is tough, extremely stressful, and involves
When Parents Have Substance Abuse Issues, Should Grandparents Receive Custody of Their Grandchildren?
I had a very interesting breakfast meeting this morning with two mental health professionals, both of whom have been involved with situations in which the State has taken custody of children away from the parents because of their substance abuse. They were telling me that an increasingly large number of grandparents are receiving custody of
Mark Baer’s Radio Interview on KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO on Premarital Agreements
I just had my interview with Jan Stevens on KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO – CBS Los Angeles . The topic was premarital agreements. We discussed the reality that everyone who marries has a premarital agreement , whether or not they realize it. They either accept the “default” prenup, which consists of the Family Law Code in