Divorced from Reality

In this text, Professors Singer and Murphy have provided a concise but thorough examination of the developments in dispute resolution in private family law matters, especially parenting disputes. By taking a broad view of trends in family law over time and across jurisdictions through the lens of dispute resolution, the text highlights important insights into structural shifts and tensions in the law. This will be an excellent book for policy makers, students, attorneys, and judges looking for a clear overview of this rapidly evolving area of law. ~Barbara Glesner Fines,Rubey M. Hulen Professor of Law, University of Missouri Kansas City

Murphy and Singer present a fresh and insightful approach to resolving child custody disputes. They look to the past but emphasize the future with practical recommendations that both humanize the process and strengthen the new family. ~Sanford N. Katz,Boston College Law School

The most significant contribution of this text is its acknowledgment of the gap between the realities of family life for more and more families and a legal system that, while admirable in its goals to move beyond adversarial conflict, nonetheless practically serves only those families who fit an elite segment of society. ~Family Collective Review

This is an important book about a velvet revolution in the resolution of family law disputes over last thirty years that has taken place without much public attention. Singer and Murphy demonstrate that disputes about children and parents are different than auto accident or contract cases because they involve emotions and continuing relationships and that courts and lawyers can and should construct dispute resolution processes to recognize those differences. They detail ongoing changes in family law dispute resolution in court systemsfor example, the institutionalization of mediation and parent educationand describe how these processes must adapt if they are to continue to be of service to 21st century parents and children. ~Andrew Schepard,Max Schmertz Distinguished Professor of Law, Hofstra University

By focusing on how the new family court paradigm serves, and disserves, its litigants, Murphey and Singer have provided a powerful critique of our existing system for resolving family disputes. And, by suggesting new reforms, they persuasively show how to promote improved responsiveness. [] The book leads to a deeper understanding of the potential role of family courts in helping families resolve conflicts. ~Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Law