Child Custody Cases:
Unfortunately, there are many websites that attempt to help
those that are not Jehovah's Witnesses attack the religion in order to win
custody of their children. Such practices are reprehensible from a legal
standpoint, and I will endeavor here to provide some general resources for those
Jehovah's Witnesses that may be involved in custody proceedings with a spouse
that is not a Jehovah's Witness. Such people should never assume that their
spouse will not try to discredit their religion in a child custody hearing.
Below are fourteen cases involving custody issues and Jehovah's Witnesses and an
American Law Institute citation on the same subject. These cases are only
provided for reference, and I urge those facing a custody hearing to hire an
attorney and to make him or her aware of the fact that your spouse may try to
attack your religion as a means to gaining child custody. You may encounter
other cases that have ruled against Jehovah's Witnesses in such matters, but the
trend currently is decidedly against such results when the sole determining
factor is the effect of one's religion on his or her children.
Child Custody Resources
≡ ALI Citation (1998)
≡ Alaniz v. Alaniz (Texas - 1993)
≡ Petition of Deierling (Iowa
- 1988)
≡ De Luca v. De Luca (New York - 1994)
≡ Felton v. Felton (Massachusetts
- 1981)
≡ Garrett v. Garrett (Nebraska -
1995)
≡ Johnson v. Johnson (Alaska -
1977)
≡ Latshaw v. Davis (Florida - 1997)
≡ Mesa v. Mesa (Florida - 1995)
≡ Osier v. Osier (Maine - 1980)
≡ Palmer v. Palmer (Nebraska - 1996)
≡ Pater v. Pater (Ohio - 1992)
≡ S.E.L. v. J.W.W. (New York - 1989)
≡ In re Marriage of Short (Colorado
- 1985)
≡ Waites v. Waites (Missouri -
1978)