Vol. 75, No. 7, July
2002
Letters
Letters to the editor: The
Wisconsin Lawyer publishes as many letters in each issue as space
permits. Please limit letters to 500 words; letters may be edited for
length and clarity. Letters should address the issues, and not be a
personal attack on others. Letters endorsing political candidates cannot
be accepted. Please mail letters to "Letters to the
Editor," Wisconsin Lawyer, P.O. Box 7158, Madison, WI 53707-7158, fax
them to (608) 257-4343, or email them to wislawyer@wisbar.org.
Amicable divorce is still traumatic for children
In "Collaborative Divorce is a Proven, Ethical Solution" (May 2002),
the authors state: "Research has shown that it is not the divorce itself
that is the most destructive element for families, but rather the
effects of conflict that often occur as a result of the traditional
adversarial divorce process." While collaborative divorce may eliminate
some of the stresses involved in divorce for spouses (and attorneys),
the suggestion that it will make divorce easier on children is flat
wrong.
In her groundbreaking book, The Unexpected Legacy of
Divorce, child psychologist Judith Wallerstein refutes the
comforting myth that an amicable divorce protects the children involved
from significant psychological and emotional harm. As her 25-year study
demonstrated, the brute facts of divorce, from a child's perspective,
are parental separation and family dissolution. It is this basic reality
that is so painful for most children of divorce. By contrast, most
children of divorce are largely unaware of the legal processes
involved.
Collaborative divorce may make divorce easier on the parties in the
courtroom, but parents and attorneys should not fool themselves into
believing that it will make divorce easier on children. The best
available research has shown that divorce is an inherently traumatic
experience for children, and that trauma has nothing to do with the
legal aspects of divorce.
Steve Seim
Juneau
Disclosure duties often are violated
Thank you for the May 2002 article, "Residential Real Property
Disclosure Duties." My company is the largest home inspection service in
North America, and I personally see this law violated on a daily basis.
I would like to do my part to change the situation.
Craig Pech
AmeriSpec, Green Bay
Handwritten briefs would be brief
I received two "briefs" today, one 14 pages and the other 46. While
both are within the rules, each could have been half as long, if that.
Perhaps we should require briefs to be handwritten. I am sure we would
not see any 46-page briefs. The Gettysburg address was handwritten, and
that was only 271 words.
Joseph J. Welcenbach
Milwaukee
Wisconsin Lawyer
