THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 TAG: 9604230155
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
In a perfect world, marriages last forever, children never get in trouble and aging parents never need help from a confusing system.
Unfortunately, that perfect world does not exist. When marriages do break up, kids run afoul of the law or elderly parents are no longer capable of making decisions for themselves, many families find themselves where they never thought they would be: sitting down before a court counselor or standing in front of a judge.
For most, the first contact with the court system is an incredibly confusing situation.
To help clear up some of that confusion, the Virginia Beach Friends of the Juvenile Court will present its first Family Law Forum Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Larkspur Middle School on Princess Anne Road.
``Families are overwhelmed when they come into Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court,'' said Virginia Beach attorney Mitchell Broudy, who is coordinating the program. ``They really never think of the system until it's right in their face. Then they're forced to deal with the issues.''
Subtitled ``Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Family Law But Were Afraid to Ask,'' the forum will offer classes on such issues as parenting after divorce, adoption, at-risk youths, rights of the noncustodial parent, divorce procedure, accessing resources for the elderly and domestic violence. A class on child support guidelines will be offered at four different times during the day.
In addition to the series of hour-long classes, major topics will be covered in large group presentations in the school auditorium. Among those are sessions on military issues, general child support issues, custody and visitation.
The faculty for the forum includes judges, civilian and military attorneys, magistrates and psychologists.
Also making presentations will be representatives from the Virginia Beach Community Services Board, Department of Social Services, Department of Youth and Family Services, Division of Child Support Enforcement and Police Department.
Broudy considers the sessions on community resources especially important for Virginia Beach's highly mobile population.
``You get these young kids who come here from some small town in the Midwest. She has a baby the day he leaves for sea and then they grow apart during the six months he's gone and end up in divorce court,'' he said.
Others who need help in negotiating the system are those who have elderly parents with special needs.
``What we hope is that people will come away from the Family Law Forum with a working knowledge of the pertinent legal issues facing families today, along with understanding of how to access community resources,'' said Broudy. MEMO: WHEN & WHERE
The Family Law Forum will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at
Larkspur Middle School, 4696 Princess Anne Road. The cost is $5 at the
door. A concession stand will be available. For information, call
Mitchell Broudy at 490-1664. by CNB