Repairing The Broken Heart
Life After Trauma
By Mira Cassidy
On April 18, 2020, President Donald Trump announced that the country is ready to reopen. Since then, Texas and Georgia have implemented this change. While states like Michigan, the 10th largest and one with a high rate of coronavirus, remain closed. Why? Michigan has joined forces with other Midwest states to come up with an effective strategy. Since this horror began there has been over 900,000 confirmed cases in the US and many children are suffering the most as their parents fight for custody and co-parenting time.
Though many law offices are closed or working remotely, family law attorneys have been slammed with this new surge of cases. Parents are filing judgement for full custody because another parent has tested positive for corona or works around corona patients. One such judgment was granted in the case of Miami ER physician, Dr. Theresa Greene. On April 13th she appeared on CNN to share he custody turmoil over her four-year-old daughter. A Miami judge ruled that custody should be taken away from Dr. Greene because she encounters the virus daily. This ruling caused an outrage in the city and the judge overturned his decision. However, what about individuals that cannot obtain attorneys or national media attention? What resources do they have?
This is a tough problem for legal professionals because each party generally presents with valid claims. What about the mother who does not want her child exposed to the virus because her ex is currently a first responder? What can she do?
For individuals who have low income, a good place to start is Legal Aid. Every state has a Legal Aid office that is established to help those with low income acquire non-criminal legal assistance. Online resources like LawHelp.org or Probono.net can be useful tools also. Another tactic is to perform and online search for lawyers that offer a free consultation. They can explain specific information per your situation and may provide further resources as well. Finally, try reaching out to the Employee Assistance Program and your place of work. Many times, EAP offers not only legal services but mental health resources. We are living in incredibly stressful times and it is even more important to make sure that you are healthy mentally when co-parenting disagreements arise.
Mira Cassidy is an Author, Journalist, and Motivational Speaker
Speaking Topics Include:
Breaking Free from Interpersonal Abuse
Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences
Breaking Toxic Cycles
Maintaining Health and Wellness
