Hi Exismental,
I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. As I'm sure you realise they're an all too common experience for a great many men and women. It's also true that not everyone chooses to act badly within the family law, even when it is easy for them to do so. Decent people work out that it's not worth their personal pain to sacrifice principles to vengeance or greed. Of course, as you're discovering, it only takes one to tango...

Have you heard of the term "Mckenzie Friend"? It refers to the right of people who are appearing in court, especially Family Court, to have someone attend as a recognised supporter.

http://www.mckenziefriends.com.au/guide-to-a-mckenzie-friend.pdf

I suspect you could really use someone to act in that role. It's unfortunately also true that an angry man is much harder to feel sorry for than a teary female and you might find it useful to have someone who can act as a cool head or even just a sounding board when you're feeling stressed in court.

Do you have anyone who could fill that role?

Good luck mate, this too shall pass. Venting here is good, but don't get distracted.

I've found that the best way to stay out of Family Court clutches is to stick with the same woman. After 48 years of marriage, I'm not expecting any problems with them at all.

It would need to be a very wide ranging review, Royal Commission or otherwise.

At the heart of much of the grief is I think the way money and assets follow children with little relevance placed on the reality.

Children become a thing to fight over with significant financial impacts on the outcome. As it has already been pointed out it often needs only one party wanting to play that game for the other to find themselves drawn into a nightmare.

There are attempts at fairness in the rules with no process to try and achieve fair outcomes, seemingly rarely consequences for dishonest behaviour or obvious attempts to manipulate the system.

None of the political parties appear interested in any real reform.

R0bert

Hey,thanks guys. Honestly, I don't think a lot of people realize just how hugely much it matters to a victim of this cesspool legal arena, when others simply recognize a hurting member's need & natural instinct to vent/release pent up toxic emotions. Every response to this thread has rethought my nearly diminished faith in fellow human's.

Oh & I never thought i'd ever hear myself utter the words,but..........Pauline Hanson..you stand to potentially forever change the political history & culture of this great country & ensure you're forever cheered.
But only if you stick to your assured path as touched on in your maiden speech(well,2nd time around)& stay the course & cleanse & purge this entire tainted,grubby,corrupt family law system.
I believe she has witnessed it's evil very closely & personally morally supporting her closest family members at some point in time.

Sadly, if this opportunity goes begging & another well promised pledge gets shuffled back & overtaken by some other deemed more important social scourge, I can't see things changing until such time as a very close member of family of a serving judiciary figure actually gets caught up in the shitfight with a payback seeking ex with sole parenting dreams of their own to change it.
cheers

You're most welcome mate. The environment has changed a little over the past decade here on OLO. Back then any discussion of men facing problems with the Family Law was met with abuse from a small but vocal cabal of embittered women and a few cynical types who profit from the destruction.

The Family Law itself has also changed a great deal. Keep your spirits up, don't get drawn into pointless discussions and do your best to keep your dealings with her lawyers out of the gutter, although it's London to a brick that's where they will try to drag you. The legal profession and their hangers on in the professional "mediation" racket (yes, Relationships Australia, I'm looking at you) have very little to be proud of in their management of the process around family breakdown.

If there's anyone at all you can rely on to act as a McKenzie Friend, it might well be one of the most important steps you can take.

Still haven't realised that managing your own life properly keeps you out of the hands of the Marxist progressive "cesspool"? Better luck next time.