Brett H. Pritchard Calls for Father’s Bill of Rights

Fighting For A Father’s Bill of Rights

Texas based lawyer Brett H. Pritchard has represented a lot of frustrated men in divorce proceedings. The legal system is not generally kind or sympathetic to the male point of view. That’s why he’s calling for a Father’s Bill of Rights and there are many fathers’ rights advocates that share his views.

Our society has clung to stereotypical views of the deadbeat dad. This outdated belief system has no place in modern courts. The traditional view of the mother as the best choice of caregiver doesn’t necessarily reflect the changing nature of modern society.

Traditional Roles Are Changing

Women are just as likely to work outside of the home as men are today. In fact, many men are choosing to work from home so that they can be more involved with raising their children. This represents a major realignment of traditional roles.

These progressive changes in our society should be welcomed and encouraged, but the courts have been slow to adjust. Women still win custody in a majority of cases. This usually leaves fathers with visitation rights every other weekend and perhaps one day during the week. These support judgements against men are unfair, but continue to be common practice.

The Family Home

Custody isn’t the only problem area. Men often lose the family home and end up struggling to pay support payments, keep a roof over their head, and pay their rent. While no good father would choose to deprive their children of the support they need, they still have to be able to live a decent life. There needs to be a better balance and the courts shouldn’t automatically assume that maternal custody is in the best interests of the child.

The solution proposed by the Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard is a Father’s Bill of Rights. For this to be effective and fair it would need to encompass a number of key areas. The purpose of such a bill should be to protect both fathers’ rights and the best interests of the children at the center of the dispute.

Fathers and the Definition of Family

In most jurisdictions, including Texas, there has always been a traditional bias in custody cases favoring the mother. While there may have been some movement on this issue in recent years, there is still a long way to go.

That’s why Brett H. Pritchard says it is necessary that the term father be firmly entrenched in the definition of the family. Studies have shown that children who grow up with both parents playing an important role do better in life. Clearly defining the legal definition and the role of the father would help to ensure this happens.

Changing Circumstances

Circumstances can change and even fathers with the best of intentions can fall on hard times. If a father loses his job or faces a long hospital stay, he won’t be able to pay his regular support payments. He shouldn’t be penalized for that. The goal of support payments are to make sure that the noncustodial parent helps financially – it isn’t supposed to be punitive. A bill of rights would force the courts to make adjustments when circumstances change.

Greater Tax Benefits for Supportive Parents

The primary care giver of dependent children is entitled to certain tax benefits. The same should apply for the other parent that is providing court ordered support. This should continue for fathers that don’t have custody, but are still supporting children over 18 as they work their way through school.

Many other areas could and should be included in a Father’s Bill of Rights. Brett H. Pritchard says It’s the only way to ensure that the courts respect the rights of fathers. This is a compelling idea and something that legislatures all over the U.S. should seriously consider.