Notice: The Rally at the Iowa Supreme Court Building scheduled for Friday, June 13, 2008, has been postponed due to statewide flooding.  The event will be rescheduled and registered members notified. 

Introduction:                            

Welcome to IowaFathers.com.  This website and organization has been created to help single, divorcing, and divorced parents residing in the state of Iowa. Although our emphasis is on working specifically with non-custodial fathers, non-custodial mothers, and concerned grandparents, every Iowan is welcome and encouraged to join.

Quotes:

“Children with two parents who actively and positively engage in their life by providing financial support, love, guidance and discipline, have a greater chance for success than children who receive an active involvement from only one parent”  – former Iowa Governor, Thomas J. Vilsack.

"Part of ending sexism involves eliminating the inhuman practice of awarding a parent ‘visitation’ to his or her own child" -- Karen DeCrow, past president of the National Organization for Women (NOW).

"Courts are supposed to approach cases of child custody, support payments, and visitation rights in what we call a gender-neutral posture. It sounds fair, and it is fair. But it is a myth. Judges are not enforcing these gender laws fairly, and few seem to care" - Judge Judy Sheindlin.

"Unless you have been forcefully removed from the everyday upbringing of your child by the Court, you can not fathom the emotional distress" - Bryan Iehl, founder & president of IowaFathers.com.

 

Watch Video About Us:

Quick Facts: 80% of children with divorcing or divorced parents experience some form of Parental Alienation.  20% of these children experience such behaviors at least once a day (Source: American Bar Association). In 2002, women received physical placement in 84.4% of the cases and men 15.6% (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, released February 2005). About 85% of custodial parents are mothers (Source: Journal of Family Psychology. 2003, Vol. 17, No. 2, 206–219). Three out of four teenage suicides (75%) occur in households where a parent has been absent (Source: Elshtain, Jean Bethke, "Family Matters: The Plight of America’s Children." The Christian Century, July 1993.)

The 5 most recently created Message Board topics:

Title

Author

Date

What Does IowaFathers.com Support?

• Legislative changes to create a presumption of Joint Physical Care (JPC) also known as Shared Parenting.

• The granting of joint physical care in contested child custody disputes unless such an arrangement places the children directly in harms way.

• Legislation to allow both parents to be more involved in their children’s lives. 

• Children having maximum continuing physical and emotional contact with both parents.

• Children having equal access to both parents.

• Legislation making a denial by either parent to support the children having continuing physical and emotional contact with the other parent a Felony.

• Grandparent legislation affording access to their grandchildren. 

• Judges holding both parents accountable for their actions.

• Change the "No-Fault" divorce law when children are involved unless a presumption of joint physical care is established.

• Changes to the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS).

• Child Support Recovery (CSRU) needs changes to be fair and uniform regarding collections.

• Prevent the Iowa judicial branch from using divorce and child custody issues as a main source of revenue to fund state and local government coffers.

• Tougher and more frequent penalties on attorney's who violate the code of ethics.

• Tougher and more frequent penalties on judges who disregard Iowa Law.

• Schools providing both parents information without hassle.

• Medical professionals providing both parents information without hassle.

• Legislative changes creating consequences for false domestic abuse and false child abuse accusations.

• Stricter legislation on founded child abuse cases.

• Legislation allowing for an immediate, neutral appeal (not through DHS) of child abuse cases.

• Change the current judicial system practice of awarding the custodial parent superior rights over the non-custodial parent, which is unconstitutional.

• The "Soldiers and Sailors Act" must apply to military personnel in child custody matters while serving our nation.  Note: Supreme Court of Iowa in a recent ruling declared that the "Soldiers and Sailors Act" is trumped by the "best interest of the child" standard, which is non-measurable and different from judge to judge.

Network with non-custodial parents and Iowa citizens around the state and bring about change to our current legal system.  IowaFathers.com wants Iowa legislators and judges to listen to the research and to start putting the children first by allowing equal access to both parents through Joint Physical Care.  The Iowa judicial system needs to uphold the law equally and be held accountable when it doesn't! 

Why Join IowaFathers.com?

Iowa's traditional family unit is under attack by trial lawyers, social programs, and state agencies because of monetary gain or self preservation.

Divorce in Iowa is at an all-time high. Legislative changes must be made to protect the family unit and ensure that children have an opportunity to be raised by parents, not a parent. This may require changing Iowa's no-fault divorce law or creating a rebuttable presumption of joint physical care (shared parenting) during a dissolution of marriage.

Post-divorce family litigation is at an all-time high in Iowa.  Lawyers, state agencies, and the Iowa Judicial Branch promote conflict because of the revenue that is generated.  Legislative changes must be made to de-escalate family litigation, possibly though programs like mandated binding mediation or legislation clarifying the intent of the law regarding what constitutes "contempt" for non-compliance of Court Order's, otherwise the future of Iowa families looks grim.

False domestic abuse allegations are destroying families.  As Attorney General, Bonnie Campbell issued an attorney general's opinion interpreting the "primary aggressor rule" in domestic abuse law.  In so doing, Campbell directed all law enforcement officers in the state, in every case, to consider the primary aggressor to be the party who is taller, heavier, and has greater upper-body strength. This interpretation has resulted in inaccurate statistics and inaccurate information being provided by organizations here in Iowa that Domestic Violence is generally perpetrated by men against women. This despite the Office of Violence Against Women acknowledging that at least 40% of Domestic Violence is perpetrated by women. Legislative changes are needed so that due process is afforded to all citizens accused, including a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and there must be consequences for false allegations.

Our military personnel are coming home and finding out that the "Soldiers and Sailors Act" did not protect them from litigation or from losing custody of their children while serving our nation. Legislative changes are needed to ensure that our military personnel are protected from any form of litigation while serving our nation.

Ultimately, we believe it is the responsibility of all Iowan's to protect our prestigious family unit and our children's future! 

What is a Rebuttable Presumption of Joint Physical Care?

A rebuttable presumption of joint physical care requires judges to consider Joint Physical Care as the "First Alternative" in a child custody hearing.   Joint physical care is when both parents share physical placement of the child(ren).  Simply defined, joint physical care allows the child(ren) to live with each parent 50% of the time during the year.  Research has shown that child(ren) need equal access to both parents and joint physical care accomplishes this challenge.  Parenting schedules are established to determine when each parent has the child(ren) living with them.  The most frequent joint physical care schedule is one week at moms, the next week at dads, and holidays are usually alternated. The State of Iowa, allows parents to determine what parenting schedule best meets the needs of their child(ren). Joint physical care is established in Iowa Statute 598.41(5)(a).

 More Joint Physical Care Research  

Parenting is a Fundament Right:

Opposition to Joint Physical Care:

Why would any legislator oppose a bill allowing children equal access to both parents? The answer is simple when you understand that divorce breeds a host of societal ills for government to solve. Virtually every major social pathology, from violent crime to drug abuse to truancy, is directly attributable to family breakdown and fatherless homes more than any single factor, even surpassing race and poverty. This fills state and local government coffers with federal money for all kinds of social programs to help solve these divorce-related social problems.

The favorite answer many state legislators use for not supporting a rebuttable presumption of joint physical care legislation is the domestic abuse myth.  Many social programs and state agencies lobby against Joint Physical Care legislation claiming it ties the judges hands in cases of domestic abuse. 

The fact remains, rebuttable means " 1) to refute by evidence or argument.  2) to oppose by contrary proof. 3) to provide some evidence or argument that refutes or opposes.  4) disprove, confute" (dictionary.com). Therefore, under a Rebuttable Presumption of Joint Physical Care, should a party object to such an arrangement, the judge has the responsibility of looking at the specifics of each individual case to determine if evidence exists to deviate from a joint physical care custody arrangement.  Furthermore, the domestic abuse argument has has no merit given the Office of Violence Against Women acknowledging that at least 40% of Domestic Violence is perpetrated by women.

• FACTS about Joint Physical Care:

  • Such an arrangement removes the child as a weapon in child custody  proceedings.

  • Provides children equal access to both parents after a divorce unless such a ruling would put the children in direct physical or emotional harm. 

  • Children with equal access to both parents have better outcomes in life.

  • Children are less likely to suffer from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

  • Helps prevent Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS).

  • Cost of litigations are much lower and less frequent.

  • Parenting is the most fundamental right recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States.

  • Puts the State of Iowa in compliance with the 5th and 14th Amendment.

  • Judges must look at the specific facts of each case.

• MYTHS about Joint Physical Care:

  • Judges must grant joint physical care.

  • Children will be placed in homes where domestic abuse has been proven.

  • Children will be placed in homes where sexual abuse has been proven.

  • Such an arrangement is an unstable environment for the children.

More Joint Physical Care Research  

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