Betty Gay

The state of NH has a genuine court system and genuine judges which unfortunately do not staff or run the family court. Passing this bill will massively reform how the people of NH will be far better served. Replacing the initial court appearance with a mediation session with a Certified mediator - if the parties so choose in lieu of a court date - will help relieve the court schedule. It will also greatly improve the quality of the mediation to employ only Certified Mediators. And it will most likely speed up the processing, saving the litigants many thousands of dollars. I have met people who have spent over $200,000 trying to protect their children from being torn from them. Far too many times children are denied acess to one parent. And far too often children are denied access to their protective parent and given 100% to a parent who they fear or who has never formed a bond with that child. There are many more reasons that support the change from the current NH family court to a legal procedure where due process is followed.