Attachment--A Hot but Frequently Misunderstood Concept

As a domestic relations mediator and Guardian ad Litem, I frequently see parties and attorneys bandying about the concepts of "attachment" and "attachment disorder" for greater leverage in the dispute, and "[t]he concept of attachment can readily tip the scales in custody and parenting-time cases involving infants and young children."   See Pamela S. Ludolph & Mildred D. Dale, Attachment in Child Custody:  An Additive Factor, Not a Determinative One, Family Law Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 1, Spring 2012.  However, as Ludolph & Dale detail, "attachment is often incompletely understood in both the legal and mental health communities." 

Ok if Court Can't Determine WHICH Parent Abused Child

As a guardian ad litem (GAL) and domestic relations mediator in New Mexico, I take special interest in unusual court cases involving children.  In an important child welfare case, the New Mexico Court of Appeals has recently reaffirmed that adjudication of child abuse is not dependent on a finding of which parent abused the child, despite some changes to statutory language.  Since abuser parents often act in complicity if not concert, this ruling significantly advances child welfare in New Mexico.

Control of Vehicle While Intoxicated Enough for DWI But Not for Child Endangerment

As a family mediator and guardian ad litem, I keep abreast of child abuse, neglect and endangerment cases.  The New Mexico Court of Appeals has recently reviewed whether control of a vehicle while intoxicated can form the grounds for a felony child abuse conviction.  See State v. Etsitty, 2012-NMCA-012.  After analysis the Court concluded it could not.

NM Abuse and Neglect Processes and Proceedings

Although I began my alternative dispute resolution (ADR) career in the labor/employment field, I have since expanded my practice to include domestic relation mediation and child protection related work, as I observed in my last blog posting.  This blog will address, generally, New Mexico law on child protection processes.