Customer Reviews

Child Custody Made Simple: Understanding the Law of Child Custody and Child Support

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a great book on custody and support issues.

Webster Watnik, the author, presents a huge amount of information with accuracy, clarity, and simplicity. He offers tips on choosing a lawyer, explains legal terms, describes options, and how to get what you want and need.

Mr. Watnik is a professional writer, not a lawyer, who surpasses many lawyers in explaining the law. I think everyone should buy this book.

This is a great book for working out an arrangement for your kids. When I first got divorced, they handed me a piece of paper that said I could only see my children twice a month. I knew that was wrong, and armed with the knowledge in this book, I found a better lawyer and went back to court with a different arrangement. My ex fought it, but the judge ruled in my favor and I won! I think everybody should read this book before you even start talking to your ex. You don't know what you're getting into, but this book does a really good job of explaining it all. It's the best book I've seen.

This book contains alot of great information for the parent who is RECENTLY SEPARATED OR DIVORCED. It gives a simple explaination how to negotiate the court system, what forms need to be filed, how to find an attorney, and how to determine child support.

Unfortunately, we were already deep into our pursuit of custody of my step-daughter when I purchased this book and found the information to be too vague. We also felt the book is targeted to mothers and did not address the issues fathers have to face when seeking a change in custody.

Despite the above, this book was a useful piece of reference material. We referred to the book often when we needed explanation legal terminology.

All in all, the book was helpful, but not what we hoped for when we purchased it.

I have been divorced for a little over eight years and am now going through another custody battle. There are things in your book I wish both my present husband and I knew about eight years ago. If we did we might not be going through all of this now. It is written so that anybody can understand it and it has helped me a lot. I am getting ready to pass it on to a friend who would like to read it. I'm sure she will enjoy it as I did.

This book attempts to be a comprehensive view of the "joys" of a custody battle, and fails miserably. There is some good information here ("Your lawyer is your lawyer, ... not your lover"), but not enough emphasis on the fact that laws vary from state to state. All examples given were from California law, which is not representative of the majority of states.

An adequate portrayal of the custody laws in the US would fill several volumes. This book is superficial at best; it contains a chart with state-by-state list of most common statutes. BUT it does not sufficiently emphasize that these are subject to change! There is nothing "simple" about a custody battle, and the attempt to make it so is horribly unrealistic.

I also found the story of the couple going through the process of a custody battle that was interspersed throughout the book to be offensive and stereotypical. The husband is painted as a real idiot who doesn't even know why he really wants custody of his son. Well, not many judges are going to award custody to a guy who can't even say WHY he wants it - much less one that is only sporadically employed!

The wife is shown as having an all-too-helpful "friend" who stuck her nose into the couple's business, encouraging the breakup of the marriage and discouraging reconciliation. Sheesh!

The book left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It tries to sugar-coat one of the most painful processes a human can undergo.

Child Custody Made Simple covers every issue of a custody plan and going to court about custody, finding the right lawyer or representing yourself, how to respond to custody emergencies, and enforcing child support. Watnik is not a lawyer, but this book is well-written and complete. This is a great primer for someone representing themselves in a custody matter, as well as someone represented by an attorney. It's a gem of a resource for who to contact for what kind of help, as well as defining the sometimes confusing legal jargon that accompanies custody cases. [Diana Mercer is the author of Your Divorce Advisor: A Lawyer and a Psychologist Guide You Through the Legal and Emotional Landscape of Divorce (Fireside 2001)]

Having just undergone my "tour through the courts", I found this book an excellent preparation for understanding the legal process, preparation for mediation, and what I could expect from the court system as an outcome of the frustrating world of fathers who care about their children.

The book is easy-reading, accurate, and contains references that deal specifically with California court tendencies and processes.

If you're about to begin the venture through Family Law courts and are completely "in the dark", you will be no longer after reading Mr. Watnik's book.

I liked a lot of stuff in the book. One comment, that "Your lawyer works for you, not the other way around" really hit home. Divorce lawyers cost so much, this book is worth it just to be able to tell your lawyer what to do!

I read your book and I think it is a very good book. It tells about both sides--the woman and the man. Most books only take one side or the author has a bias, but your book presents the information without any bias. It was very complete and answered many of my questions. I encourage you to write another book!

It is my belief that all legal, nonlegal and divorcing parents should read this book, it is concise,accurate and gives a decent scenario of how to prepare for all aspects of the legal system, I only wish I bought it sooner!!!