How independent parents in Illinois and Missouri are feeling about driving up representation rates while filling in those Missing Life Units (MLU)
MISSOURICASE.NET - A private parents group known as CLU (Clean Law Union) selected a network of Missouri family court cases to help fill the lack of representation with social justice efforts.
About 5,500 independent parents have filed a dissolution of marriage case with children involved in the state of Missouri alone during the first quarter of 2021. That's roughly 22,000 people per year. 17,700 of those (80%) are either unrepresented or underrepresented throughout complex paywalls, digital systems of efilings, physicals systems of organized professionals, virtual hearings, third party software, computer mandates, internet mandates, third party software support in foreign languages, and Supreme Court rules, it's no wonder their so much pain and suffering.
Navigating other complex multi-systems like signing up for college, navigating financial aid, navigating virtual classrooms, and eventually receiving a degree all favors those who are in the known. Those who've done it before or get paid to help. Much like those in the family law industry. Those who can afford fitting representation: either by means of an expensive college degree or retainer fee, have a better shot of success. Yet, children and young families in divorce court battles and similar deployments to war don't need expensive chest-beating, they just need professional love-keeping.
The difference between people earning a college degree and people earning successful legal cases is that 100% who try could earn a college degree, but only 50% of those who try can "win" what they're asking for in family court decisions. Is it any wonder people drop out?
But, what in the world could keep them in the game, you might ask.
Members of Life Winks® and independent parents everywhere are helping bridge the lack of representation gap in several ways. One way is by reporting on the state of the unrepresented, the other is by a comprehensive new network of services - including virtual, individual, and group support.
Here are some interesting facts about what else is going on in grave "family" law practices - The state of unrepresented families and categories of unrepresented and underrepresented family members:
1. Court percentages involving children. In Missouri dissolution of marriage cases involving children, it's roughly 80%. Dissolution of marriage cases without children involved: 20%.
2. Dissolution of marriage cases where one family member is represented, while the other party not represented (numerically +1 v -1, or "plus one versus minus one"):
People who unfortunately find themselves in category 2, whether willingly or against their will, experience a standing judicial difference of 2. They feel two times x'd. Nothing most people express concern about. Even when they do, those concerns are easily dismissed.
But many of those unfortunate people who are attorney challenged say that the results eventually feel much worse than two times the pain of the other party. They report being much more emotionally challenged throughout everyday life. Much more socially challenged when it comes to say visiting with their children's teachers at school or with their children's doctors. Much more financially challenged when it comes to things like work performances, future taxes, and even child support maintenance while caring for their kids.
In a longitudinal scientific study (called voidology) on the non-judicial side of these experiences, category 2 is a difference of between 4 pain points (2 social standing pain points and 2 emotional pain points) and 6 pain points. Which makes sense because it's a known adversarial system of attrition with permanent ripple effects. Where the biggest budgets typically win.
But unrepresented eye witness reports time and time again shows that it feels like Parent X never has a voice. They feel never really heard by decision-makers. And family law always impacts their lives negatively every time they try to raise their hands and show evidence, proof of truth, or ask a question.
Imagine that you're a student at school and one group of children have a teacher and other students do not get a teacher. Or imagine that you're a student in an altercation on the playground or on social media and one side has a parent who's an MMA fighting expert backing them up, and the other side doesn't. The side without representation can be pained and never comforted more than the side with representation. They can be pained even when they express not wanted to fight. In other words, pressed and pressed but never authentically included. Straight cancelled for trying.
A psychology experiment at he University of California, Irvine, used a rigged Monopoly game to reveal how advantaged players flow through the game compared to disadvantaged "Player X." Research shows that when one player begins the game flow with more money, more property, and more dice than the other, then that player is less inclined to share equally or play fairly. All studies show Parent X, like "Player X,' gets repeatedly pummeled for being disadvantaged, and that the community supports these most unfortunately life flows. Which is what sad parents taking hits have been saying silently they experience for years.
3. Dissolution cases where no family member is represented (numerically -1 v -1 - pronounced "minus one versus minus one):
4. Two family members are represented equally (numerically +1 v +1, or an "up & up" experience).