NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
September 25, 2015
At a time when more than one-third of the states are considering family court reform that encourages shared parenting after divorce, National Parents Organization of Maryland invites local leaders, residents and members of the media to learn more about the reform efforts during a local showing of the documentary “Divorce Corp.”
The free showing is scheduled from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the Savage Branch of Howard County Library (Room 162, 9525 Durness Lane) in Laurel, Maryland, on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Fathers Rights Movement and The Children’s Rights Fund join National Parents Organization of Maryland in hosting the event.
The film, directed by Joseph Sorge and narrated by Dr. Drew, sheds light on the ways in which family courts operate as a “big business” that profits at the expense of families. Within the past year, states including Utah and South Dakota have begun addressing the alarming outcomes highlighted in the film by passing shared parenting legislation, and another nearly 20 states, including Maryland, have considered similar bills. Efforts to make shared parenting, where children spend as close to equal time as possible with each parent, combats the costly and combative divorce court status quo of awarding one parent joint physical custody while reducing the other parent to visitor status.
The push for shared parenting falls in line with a growing body of child development research that shows shared parenting after parents divorce or separate is in the best interest of children. As a recent example, this spring, a 150,000-child study published by the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health and reported on by TIME magazine found that shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health.
The organizers of the local “Divorce Corp” showing intend for the event to raise awareness of the impact the broken family court system has on families. Ultimately, the organizers hope the event spurs a collaborative effort to put Maryland back on the list of the many states considering reform that allows more children to experience the constant love of both parents.
ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org